Good to Get Away
by LeastStealthyBrah
Summary: Their last year of high school is slowly drawing to a close. Class 6-A are given the chance to go away and celebrate. Meanwhile Setsuna finds herself wondering what to do about her feelings for Konoka... rated M for later and also some Ayaka/Asuna stuff!
1. We're Going on Vacation?

**Good to get Away...**

A blast of ice cold water burst from the shower head as it quickly made contact with shiny, raven coloured hair. At first, the girl standing under the arctic like stream gasped as her body went through the sudden shock of being exposed to the water, eventually it adjusted and settled as comfortable as it possibly could. Setsuna's head was still swimming with everything that had happened over the course of the day, including a very unexpected intimate moment she witnessed that morning that she didn't mean to be part of...

The warrior's hands clenched as she began to remember the images from that encounter. When she started to mesh the thoughts of what actually happened with some of her own fantasies, her body began to shake. Setsuna yelled as her right fist came up and smashed itself into the tiled shower wall. She slowly opened her hand and watched it slid down the slippery wet tiles along with the rest of her.

_It's not possible... you know that no matter how much you want to, it can never happen..._ she thought to herself_... you are only meant to serve and protect..._

Setsuna sat as the frigid water continued to cascade down her. She had always had feelings for Konoka, ever since she had first laid eyes on her when they were just young children. She had even sworn that she would sacrifice her own life in order to protect the chocolate haired girl from anything that dared to threaten her. The two had always been close; in fact, Setsuna even had the feeling that Konoka may even share the same feelings that she did. The only problem was that the swordswoman knew it would be highly inappropriate for her to get romantically involved with the girl she was responsible for...

But, we are getting way ahead of ourselves...

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SMACK!

The class representative and resident rich girl Yukihiro Ayaka slammed down her hand on one of the desks located at the front of class 6-A with a wide grin. She looked up to see her fellow classmates all staring back with confused expression on their faces. Ayaka loved to start off any type of news she had this way, it made it all the more exciting for her to see the reactions of her friends turning from confused to overjoyed. She folded her arms with a smirk as she revelled in the amount of praise she would receive for her generous gift she was about to share. Just then her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of a certain orange haired baka ranger.

"Soooo... what's with the over dramatic build up Ayaka chan?" asked Asuna as she leaned back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling and not showing any real sign of caring. "Why don't you just get over yourself and tell everyone whatever it is you have planned?"

Ayaka stared angrily back at the only girl in the entire class who rubbed her wrong way, steam coming from her ears before she managed to calm herself down enough to speak. "Well if you weren't such a stupid monkey all the time and maybe actually showed some patience once in a while, you might actually allow me to explain what's going on."

She watched as Asuna mumbled something along the lines of "At least I'm not the one who looks like a monkey", before clearing her throat to continue. "Anyway... As you all should know, we have a short break coming up from classes next week. Since it will be one of our last chances to all be together as high school students, I have supplied us with the perfect opportunity. Everyone... Pack your bags, we're heading back out to my family's island getaway for an entire week of fun and relaxation in the sun!"

A loud and not so surprisingly mighty cheer rang throughout the entire classroom as the statement began to sink in. High fives and whoops of excitement were running rampant as Ayaka smirked to herself; this is exactly the reaction she was looking for. She even managed to catch a look of excitement coming from Asuna. She watched as the orange haired girl turned to her friend Konoka and began discussing plans with her, laughing and smiling g all the while. Suddenly, the class rep felt an odd feeling resonating in her chest. She couldn't help then, to stare at Asuna and take in her excitement. There was just something about her long time "frenemy" that made her heart seem to beat faster, especially over the last few months. Despite the two constantly fighting with one another over even the most trivial of things, Ayaka knew that it was all for fun. She decided that she would use this trip to get closer with Asuna, and maybe, just maybe, tell her how she really felt about her.

Meanwhile, Setsuna was relaxing at her desk taking in the news of the trip. She was definitely excited when she thought about the idea of getting away from the school and her shared patrol duties for an entire week; not that she minded either of them. Soon, she would find herself lounging on the beach taking in the sun, Konoka by her side... laying on her stomach asking her to put tanning lotion on her bare back...

Setsuna Gulped and quickly brought her hand up to her nose, attempting to put a stop to any potential nosebleed. She had, what seemed to her anyway, a very bad habit of allowing her mind to wonder when it came to her Ojou-sama. As much as she tried, the swordswoman was never able to control her thoughts. She knew from the very first moment she met Konoka that she was going to fall hard for her. Everything that the young heiress did made Setsuna's heart race and want to burst out from her chest. Konoka was the kindest, most thoughtful and loving girl that she had ever met and she had been honoured to be given the chance to spend every moment watching over her and protecting her. It also didn't hurt that she had an extremely sexy, curvy body; Setsuna couldn't help but thank the gods for being so generous to Konoka during puberty. Unfortunately, there was a price she was paying for all her good fortune. Setsuna knew that no matter how much she wanted to confess her love for the chocolate haired girl and no matter how much she wished they could be together, she simply could not. She was given a very important responsibility and could not afford to cloud her job and judgement with her feelings. She had sworn to herself to keep her feelings quiet from Konoka, despite Asuna telling the warrior that it was quiet obvious and everyone within a 100 kilometre radius knew she loved the girl.

She sighed loudly and tilted back in her chair with her eyes closed. "I know I promised myself, but sometimes I wish I could just tell Kono-chan-..."

"Tell me what Set-chan?" asked the girl of Setsuna's desire suddenly from behind her.

Setsuna nearly had a heart attack as her feet left the ground and caused her whole body to fly backwards and land with a thud on the floor. Quickly she gathered herself up and stood scratching the back of her head trying to think of an excuse on the spot. "Ojou...uh Kono-chan... I uh was just going to tell you that I'm really looking forward to...uh... go on the trip with everyone!"

_Whew... good one dummy..._

Konoka looked at the slow blush spreading across Setsuna's face. She smiled but pretended that she hadn't seen it. "Oh me too Set-chan! I can't wait to get back out on the beach and have fun!"

Asuna came up and smacked Setsuna on the back, hiding a laugh from watching her friend's bad recovery from her spazz out. Setsuna turned to look at her friend, eyeing her with an irritated gaze. "So I see that you're just as happy to be getting away from here as I am Setsuna. Guess that means training will be put on hold too, huh?" She looked back at her friend with a hopeful smile.

Setsuna decided that she would get back at her friend's teasing and smirked. "What do mean Asuna? There's no better place to train in than a tropical island. Just think, all the running and resistance training we can do through the sand bright and early in the morning..."

Setsuna watched Asuna sweat drop as she thought about the gruelling training she just forced herself into. The swordswoman laughed and playfully stuck out her tongue, giving the orange haired girl a shove. Konoka couldn't help but giggle as she watched her two best friends wrestle around with each other. Just then she remembered that she was supposed to be meeting up with Nodoka, Yue and Haruna for a Library Exploration club meeting. She excused herself from the two on the floor and began to head towards the door. Before leaving she turned back around and called to Setsuna.

"Hey Set-chan, do you think that maybe tomorrow we could head out shopping so I can get a new bathing suit for the trip?" She saw Setsuna's head pop up from the pile of fighting limbs on the floor. "I don't think the one I had the last time we went on vacation fits anymore."

"I-I-I will of course go shopping with, Kono-chan..." Setsuna's voice seemed to crack off as she said the last little bit. She watched as the chocolate haired girl smiled at her before turning to leave. Konoka's hair seemed to sweep around in slow motion as she turned away, causing the swordswoman's face to scrunch up into a goofy look.

Asuna took this as an opportunity to push the raven haired girl off of her and scramble to her feet. She began to brush her uniform off before offering her hand to help up the awestruck friend from the floor. Snapping out of it, Setsuna accepted Asuna's help. "Seriously Setsuna, you really need to do something about your feelings for Konoka. It's not right to make yourself suffer like this."

Setsuna sighed. "There is nothing I want more than to tell Kono-chan how I feel Asuna. She means everything to me and I would give anything to be with her, but you know that I can't. I've told you before that it wouldn't be right for me to mess up my responsibilities as her guardian. I would rather see her alive and possibly happy with someone else than with me and end up injured or worse because I got distracted..."

"I really don't think anything like that will happen if you told her. If you really think about it, being with her might result in you protecting her even better than before...wouldn't it?" asked Asuna while she scratched her chin.

Setsuna shook her head. "No, there's no way any good can come from me getting myself too involved with Ojou-sama. Besides, she deserves someone better than me anyway..."

Asuna rolled her eyes and watched her best friend begin to sulk. She wished that there was something that she could do to help get her two best friends together. If only she could break her promise she made to Konoka, saying that she wouldn't tell Setsuna about how the heiress felt about the swordswoman. It would be so much easier if the two of them would just come out and confess to each other. Asuna knew that Setsuna would seriously reconsider her situation if she only knew that the one girl she cared for the most felt the same way.

She sighed and looked around the room, only a few of their classmates remained aside from themselves. Her eyes stopped on one girl in particular, causing Asuna's heart to speed up and a hot feeling to swirl around below her stomach. Ayaka was gathering up her things as she was talking to Makie about the trip. Asuna couldn't help but watch as the class rep unconsciously flicked her hair over her shoulders or brushed her face with her soft gentle hands. Asuna never understood just how she came about having feelings for Ayaka, but she could honestly say that she didn't mind. She also knew that fighting and messing around with Ayaka really turned her on. Asuna loved the how fiery the blonde got when she got angry; it was one of the sexier qualities she thought the class rep had. This was the main reason she tried to start as many spats as possible, considering it was the only satisfaction she could get from the blonde for now. Maybe, she could suck it up on this trip and try to hook up with Ayaka. She thought it over as she continued to watch her from the corner of her eye. The worst thing that could possibly happen would be Ayaka getting pissed at her and it turning into a physical rumble; which would be fine with her anyway. Asuna turned back to the sulking Setsuna and decided that she would try her best to not only get her friends together, but finally get together with the blonde haired beauty.

"Hey Setsuna, how bout we go train for a little bit before you go on patrol?" asked Asuna as she pushed her thoughts of Ayaka to the back of her head. She saw a smile come across her best friends face. "I know that making me look like a fool will take your mind off of your situation."

Setsuna couldn't help but laugh a little at her friend's sincere attempt to cheer her up. The swordswoman picked up her things and made her way to the door. As she passed Asuna, the young warrior delivered a well placed punch to the dead center of her friend's bicep. "Training starts now!" Then she sprinted out the door, Asuna hot on her tail holding her arm in pain and yelling out an array of curses that would make even Chamo turn red.

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	2. Bikini's  Konoka's Deadliest Weapon

**Bikinis... Konoka's Deadliest Weapon**

There was a loud thump as Setsuna crashed down to the ground holding her sides in pain. Asuna completely stopped what she was doing and ran to her friend's side within seconds. She quickly dropped down to the ground and gently tried to roll the young swordswoman over onto her back. Once Setsuna was turned over, Asuna fell backwards in a huff as she took in the sight of Setsuna laughing hysterically.

"You...seriously?...I can't b-breath!" was all Setsuna was able to force out of herself between fits of laughter. After a few more minutes, the raven haired girl managed to calm herself down enough to sit up and look over at her embarrassed best friend. "That can't possibly be your plan Asuna-san... there's no way that would ever work."

Before Setsuna was taken over completely by laughter, Asuna had decided to tell her all about her plan to hook up Ayaka during the class vacation to her family's island. Setsuna had heard many of her friend's plans before regarding various other things, this one however had to be one of the most random and ill thought out ideas the orange haired girl had ever come up with. Apparently, Asuna was going to lay on the ol' Kagurazaka charm... Setsuna found this extremely hilarious because she knew how her friend was on a regular basis; charm wasn't a quality she was known for. After a few days of "winning" Ayaka over, Asuna decided that it would be best for her to start a small fight between the two of them, causing them to get heated up, that's when Asuna would make her move...

"You seriously think that getting into a yelling match and screaming... DO YOU WANNA MAKE OUT WITH ME AS MUCH AS I WANNA MAKE OUT WITH YOU?... is going to work?" Setsuna started to laugh again to the point where her eyes began to water. "Asuna-san, that stuff only ever works in bad sitcoms."

Asuna huffed irritably and rolled her eyes. "Hey, at least I have enough guts to actually try something with Ayaka!" As soon as the words left her lips she regretted them. She quickly looked up to see that Setsuna had stopped laughing and was beginning to get up from her spot on the ground. She began to walk away from Asuna with her head down.

"Setsuna wait! Setsuna I'm sorry!" yelled Asuna as she caught up to her now depressed friend. "I didn't mean it like that! I know why you can't say anything to Konoka and I know how much it actually kills you inside that you have to force those feelings away in order to protect her. I'm so sorry Setsuna..." She placed a hand on Setsuna's shoulder, waiting for it to be hit away. Instead she was surprised when she felt Setsuna's shoulder drop and a long exhale follow.

"It's fine Asuna-chan. My feelings are my own doing." replied Setsuna. "Don't worry about it alright? Like I said before, protecting and making sure that Konoka is safe are all that matter to me." She finished by turning around and smiling at her surprised friend.

Asuna's heart began to break as she watched the raven haired girl's badly forced cover up. Hopefully, she could talk with Konoka and try to get something going. It wasn't fair for either of them to keep their feelings hidden, and it definitely wasn't fair for Konoka to go on thinking that she would someday have a chance with her knight when the girl in question couldn't accept the fact that there was more to her life than serving. Maybe it was for Setsuna's own good that Asuna tell Konoka what was going on with her guardian. Tonight while the swordswoman is busy on patrol, she would tell her roommate everything.

"Anyway Asuna, I better get going. My patrol shift starts in an hour and I should grab something to eat really quick." said Setsuna while hiding a sigh. "Tell Ojou-sama... I'll see her tomorrow morning for our shopping trip..."

With that, the young warrior saluted her friend and dashed off towards her dorm room. Asuna walked over to her bag to pick it up before making her way back to her own room. Hopefully, if everything went right tonight a plan could be made in order to bring her two friends together. They didn't have much time, since they would all be leaving Sunday afternoon, but Asuna was determined. Before she realised it, she found herself standing in front of her own door with the key in the slot. She laughed at herself for being so wrapped up in her thoughts as she turned the knob. As she closed the door, Asuna was greeted with aroma of Konoka's cooking as well as a smile from her closest friend. She looked around the room to see that Negi must have gone out to help with patrols tonight, leaving the two of them alone to talk. She sat down at the table as Konoka brought over a giant plate full of food before sitting down herself. The chocolate haired girl looked at her friend and saw that something was on Asuna's mind. She was just about to ask her what was wrong, when Asuna interrupted her.

"Listen Konoka, we need to talk..."

"Why did something happen during your training today? Did you somehow manage to hurt my Set-chan? Did you kill her? Asuna, why would you do something like that?" she yelled in reply becoming upset. Despite her grades in school, Konoka wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box.

"Wha...ehhhh...no. Like I'd ever be able to so much as mess up that girl's hair." laughed Asuna. She stopped when she noticed her friend's bottom lip pop out. "And no, I didn't do that either... seriously though I have something important to tell you about her..."

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"...So basically what you're telling me." began Konoka as she sat back into her chair after clearing the dishes away. "Is that Set-chan has feelings for me, just as I have feelings for her... but she forces herself to hide them away because she thinks it will interfere with her duty?"

Asuna leaned back into her chair and stretched out her tired arms. "Basically yes. She also thinks that she isn't good enough for you because of her servants' status and that you deserve someone better than her..."

Konoka gasped and felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. How could her Set-chan think that she wasn't good enough for her? If anything, Konoka thought that it was the other way around. She always needed to be rescued and could never stand to be away from Setsuna for more than a few hours at a time. Konoka was completely dependent on her sword wielding knight.

"Poor Set-chan... All I want to do is be with her, more than anything else in the world. I wish that I could somehow let her know that I've never thought of her as anything less than my equal and friend. She also shouldn't have to put her job before her feelings, that's just horrible! I'm sure my father would understand if she just spoke with him about it. I mean, he's always loved having her around and used to constantly joke around saying that someday the two of us would be married..." Konoka sighed and laid her forehead on the table. "What do I do Asuna? There's no way I can be without her, I love her too much. I know how she feels and it kills me to know that what she's putting herself through in order for my supposed well being is killing her inside!"

Asuna listened to the pained groans coming from the table's surface across from where she was currently sitting. She thought for a moment before an idea finally came to her. "I got it! All you gotta do is force out a confession from her, that way you two can talk it out without her knowing I told you. Maybe once she hears how you feel, the muscles with a side-pony will finally allow herself to give in!"

Konoka peeked up from the table. "Alright, but just how do I get her to confess to me? We've known each other since we were little, she would know if I was trying to trick her or something. Apparently what I'm doing now isn't enough so..."

"Well..." started Asuna as she got up from her spot. She motioned for her friend to stand up beside her. After Konoka joined her, a sneaky smile crept across the orange haired girl's face. With a flick of her wrist, the top few buttons as well as the bottom few buttons of Konoka's school shirt flew off; leaving her flat but cute belly button and her large amount of cleavage exposed. She gasped as Asuna continued on. "You need to amp up the sex factor Konoka. If it's one thing I know about Setsuna, it's that she has a weakness when it comes to anything you do that may come off as sexy. You are going to give that girl something she won't easily forget. I know for sure that if you do this, Setsuna will be yours!"

Konoka looked down at her now damaged shirt and thought about it for a few seconds. The plan sounded simple enough, and she really did enjoy teasing Setsuna. She also knew that it was completely true that the young swordswoman got flustered whenever she had a clothing malfunction or if she did any sort of subconscious sexualised movement. She then closed her eyes and pictured herself in Setsuna's arms after finally winning her over after all of these years. She definitely didn't have any issue with this plan at all, and was actually starting to curse at herself for not trying this sooner.

"Alright Asuna, I'm gonna do this!" said Konoka as she pumped her fist into the air with excitement. "As soon as that plane touches down, look out Set-chan... I'm coming for you!"

Asuna laughed as she watched her friend dance around with excitement. "Well, it's still a whole day before we leave... why not start with your trip to the mall tomorrow?..."

Konoka stopped dancing around and slowly looked up at Asuna... a look of pure seductive evil slowly making its way across the mostly innocent girl's face...

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It was a warm and clear Saturday morning, one that would cause even the crankiest of risers to slap on a smile. Setsuna had gotten up extra early that morning in order to get ready for her outing with Konoka later that day. She decided that since it was going to be her last morning at the school for a solid week, she would take her favourite piece of transportation out for a ride. Despite being a half crow demon who was able to fly at top speeds, Setsuna rarely got a chance to just spread out her wings and take off. She didn't want to draw attention to herself from any non-magical types; so in order for her to satisfy her desperate need for speed, Setsuna invested a good chunk of her patrolling money into buying herself a slightly used Suzuki GSX sports bike. The moment she set her eyes on it, Setsuna knew that they were meant for each other. The colour was what sealed it for her; jet black steel with purple-ish blue detailing reminded her of the true colours of her crow demon tribe. On top of that, this sucker was professional race ready, which promised flawless speed and handling.

She remembered the look on Konoka and Asuna's face when she pulled up to the dorms with her new toy strapped down in Kaede's old pick-up. First thing that came out of Konoka's mouth was that Setsuna was going to die and that she would never speak to her again if she got herself killed. Setsuna remembered first laughing at the statement, seeing as if she did die then Konoka really couldn't talk to her anyway, and then became extremely sad thinking about her Ojou-sama left alone. She was beginning to have second thoughts about her purchase when Asuna hugged her upset roommate and told her that she had nothing to worry about, considering her guardian was a half demon who could probably survive a nuclear war should one happen. This seemed to cheer up the young heiress as she smiled at Setsuna with those big brown, perfect glistening eyes looking deep into her own before she made her way over to the bike. Setsuna also remembered how once she and Kaede got the bike down and set it up, Konoka quickly hoped on and began to inspect it. The young swordswoman felt a slow stir of a nosebleed beginning to form as she remembered just how sexy the chocolate haired girl looked straddling the bike...

_If more women drove sports bikes, there would be no wars in the world..._

Now Setsuna was speeding around campus just as the sun was beginning to rise, feeling the rush of wind rip through the exposed ends of her hair. If there was any one thing that the swordswoman even considered to come close to her love of Konoka, it was zipping around on Django... Konoka took it upon herself to choose a name for the bike, based off of a mech one of her favourite anime characters used. She sighed as she thought about how she could love a bike but she couldn't bring herself to confess to Konoka. What a mess she put herself into, if only she had stayed in the shadows like before the class trip to Kyoto a few years ago. Maybe she would have been able to rid herself of her feelings if she didn't come crashing back into her princess's life. She shook her head; there was no way she could think like that. Konoka was the best thing that had ever happened to her, including everything that came with her. Without Konoka, she would have never become best friends with Asuna and would never have finally revealed her demon secret. Setsuna owed a lot to Konoka, but it still didn't justify throwing her responsibilities out the window.

Setsuna parked Django back in his designated spot outside the dorms a few hours later. She took off her black helmet with a tinted visor and placed it gently on his seat. She then threw her hair back up into its signature side pony before unzipping her matching jet black racers jacket. She had to admit that her clothes did look really good today; the jacket over top of a plain white t-shirt, dark blue slightly worn skinny jeans with fresh white C1RCA high top skate shoes. If it wasn't for her hair being up, a passer-by would most likely mistake her for a teenage boy. She laughed at the thought in her head; odd how the one gender she didn't care for seemed to constantly reflect in her appearance. She made her way inside the dorm and started to make the climb up the stairs. Setsuna was running a little early, but she knew that she would be expected because she was always early. She arrived at the door and was just about to knock when it swung open. A brief moment of panic was quickly hidden as Setsuna felt the tell-tale signs of blood threaten to burst from her face.

Standing in the doorway was Konoka, wearing a tight fitting v-neck t-shirt, dark ripped short-shorts with something that Setsuna could only assume to be the top part of black lacy panties edging its way out of the sides of the shorts. Konoka topped it all off with an unzipped jet black racers jacket that matched the one Setsuna was wearing. The chocolate haired girl welcomed Setsuna with a smile followed by a hug that almost threw both of them backwards. Somewhere from behind the two, Asuna sat laughing at the reaction coming from her best friends face.

"O...Ojou-sama... where did you get that jacket?" asked Setsuna as she tried to keep focused on composing herself instead of focusing on the fact that Konoka's chest was pressing into her hard.

Konoka backed up and smiled. "Oh why, do you like it? I bought it after the last time you took me out for a ride. I heard the rev of Django's engine outside earlier and decided to throw it on so I could show you! Isn't it cool? Now we match!"

Setsuna took a deep breath and slowly backed up as she thought about sports and training, anything that would distract her from her urge to jump on her princess and show her just how much she liked her outfit. "Yes Kono-chan...you look very... nice... today." She winced a little as she saw the smile start to fall from her princess's face. "More than nice actually... you look very...uh... a-attractive..."

"You really think so Set-chan?" played up Konoka, trying to sound as clueless as possible. She smirked inside her head as she watched her knight gulp and then nod her head in agreement. "I'm glad you think so Set-chan." She leaned in closer to the raven haired girl. "So, are you gonna take me for a ride now?"

Even Asuna felt her face almost explode with that last statement. She never would have guessed her roommate to be so aggressive like this. The orange haired girl had always taken Konoka for a slightly scatter brained and innocent girl. If she kept this up, the plan might even succeed before the plane left the ground. After a few moments of forced silence from Setsuna while Konoka was hanging off her arm, the two made it to Django and started to place their helmets on. Setsuna gently took her ponytail out and allowed her hair to fall down around her shoulders before shaking her head to clear her eyes for her helmet. This time it was Konoka who was at a loss for words.

_How dare Set-chan keep that sexy hair and body away from me... it's sooooooooo not fair..._

Konoka quickly hopped on the bike behind Setsuna and proceeded to wrap her arms around her knight's waist. Before she had a chance to move her hands either up or down Setsuna's torso, the swordswoman yelled for her to hold on tight and took off down the street; Konoka Screaming with excitement as they rounded the first turn.

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An hour later, Setsuna found herself browsing around a sports apparel store looking around for a now missing Konoka. She was cursing at herself under her breath for losing track of the heiress as panic began to creep in. How could she have been so careless, getting distracted by a very revealing swimsuit that Konoka had held up to herself and asking for the her opinion.

_This is exactly why I can't confess to her... If I get so distracted by a simple piece of material, how could I ever focus thinking about special relationship things we'd most likely have done..._

She was about to toss all better judgment aside and go half demon on the whole store to find her, when she suddenly heard a sweet giggle from behind her. She turned to see Konoka covering her mouth with her left hand, attempting to force down more laughter. Setsuna sighed as she realized how crazed she must look and began to blush as she attempted to quickly calm herself down. That's when she noticed the large pile of items bunched up under Konoka's right arm.

"Uh...Ojou-sama... what's with all those things under your arm?" she asked while staring at the pile, wondering what fresh hell would be waiting for her in the answer to that question. "Surely you aren't going to be buying all those swim suits?"

Konoka smiled at her and giggled again before answering. "No silly Set-chan... I'm only going to be getting two or three..." she paused and tried to hide her excitement and devious smile. "I really just can't decide on what I like better... so, I'm going to need your help picking them out..."

Setsuna gulped as she tried to hide the blush rushing to her face; she could feel the heat spreading all through her body. "That means you..."

"I want you to come to the dressing room with me so I can have a swim suit fashion show!" Konoka pumped her free hand into the air with excitement. Operation Win Setsuna was now fully underway. "I know that you'll be able to help pick out the best ones! You always seem to know what makes me look the best Set-chan."

"I-I-I...Ojou-sa-..." was all that Setsuna was able to get out before she felt herself being yanked towards the private dressing room area.

The dressing rooms were completely cut off from the rest of the store, making the warrior feel even more worried as she was forced down onto a waiting bench. Truth be told, under regular circumstances this would have been a nice intimate area made for couples to show off their beach wear to each other; however to Setsuna, the dressing felt like a death trap. She was already having a hard enough time trying to force her thoughts about Konoka out of her head in a regular setting. Now, under the dim dressing room lighting and the knowledge that a few feet away Konoka was undressing and slipping into what could only be assumed as "Setsuna's Nosebleed Maker of Death', was more than the warrior could handle. She began to fidget as she heard a soft humming coming from behind the closed door in front of her, followed by the unzipping of short-shorts. Setsuna began to close her eyes and slowly take in deep breaths. She needed to mentally prepare herself for whatever came out of that dressing room. Who would have thought that one, seemingly innocent girl could have the same effect on her that a battle did. Her heart rate was finally evening out when she heard the click of the lock from the door.

_Alright this is it Setsuna! You can do this buddy, it's all you. Get your game face on! She's just a girl, just a girl, just a very pretty girl... just a very pretty girl who's about to step out almost wearing nothing... you can do this!_

She heard Konoka clear her throat and slowly began to open her eyes.

_Gods damn it all!_

Setsuna was at a complete loss for physical words as she watched Konoka slowly emerge fully from the dressing room. She also froze up only being able to blink her eyes in reaction to what her princess was wearing. Setsuna quickly did everything in her power to hide her dumbstruck state; hopefully Konoka didn't notice. Unfortunately for Setsuna, she did. The heiress inwardly laughed to herself as she took in every second of her knight's reaction. If everything kept going like this, Setsuna would soon be powerless to resist her and they would finally be able to talk and ultimately be together.

"So Set-chan..." began Konoka as she hid a smirk. "What do you think of this one? I'm not entirely sure about the colour..."

Setsuna gulped as she tried to get her tongue to cooperate with her mouth. The bikini that Konoka was currently situated in was black with a top that barely covered most of her chest with small triangles and a low rise bottom that tied up with a long bow on one side. Setsuna couldn't help but curse the company and the store for actually being allowed to sell something that made her Ojou-sama look so good. Her fists that were hidden in her pockets slowly clenched as she, once again forced herself to concentrate.

"It looks great Ojou-sama." she sighed with relief in her head as she heard the words come out perfectly. She smiled at Konoka before continuing. "You always look great in black!"

Konoka returned the smile before turning back into the dressing room for another suit. Setsuna smiled to herself and placed her hands behind her head and stretched out to relax. She was able to dodge a bullet there, now she was beginning to feel like she might just be able to make it out of this one alive. She unconsciously began to look around the room while she waited for Konoka's return. The rest of the swim suit fashion show went on in the same manor; Konoka would come out trying her best to flaunt her perfect assets to Setsuna while the young warrior focused on not succumbing to nosebleeds. There were a few times where Setsuna almost felt like caving, but she pulled herself together and got through it. Eventually Konoka came out of the dressing room in her regular clothing and sat down with a sigh beside Setsuna.

"I think I need a break for a few minutes Set-chan." Konoka breathed as she placed two of her final decisions down beside her. "I'd like one more, but nothing seems to be what I have in mind."

Setsuna smiled and looked over at Konoka. "It's ok Ojou-sama, take your time. We have all day so don't feel like you need to rush."

"Set-chan how many times do I need to tell you not to be so formal." said Konoka with a playful squeeze to her protector's arm. "Just Kono-chan will be fine."

Setsuna reached up and scratched the back of her head with a small blush and a smile. "Sorry, force of habit..."

Konoka couldn't help but smile and hide a blush of her own. Setsuna just looked so cute when she blushed and did her head scratch. It practically made her insides melt every time she saw it. Then an idea popped into her head. "Hey, you don't have any beach stuff to wear right? Why don't you sit here and I'll go grab a few things for you to try on for me! Plus maybe I'll find the last suit I'm looking for."

Setsuna was a little hesitant at first to let Konoka out of her site, but the heiress convinced her that there was little chance of demons popping out and kidnapping her in this store; she would be fine. Konoka quickly left the warrior sitting on the bench and began to look around the store for things that would suit her Set-chan. There was no way Setsuna would ever feel comfortable in any of the bathing suits that were in this store. Maybe she could do a little mix and match and make something that would scream Setsuna. She decided to make her way over to the men's section of the store. Since Setsuna had a nice toned and slender boyish body, Konoka thought that a few pairs of board shorts matched with sports bra style bikini tops would look hot. She grabbed a few small pairs of shorts and some tops and began to make her way back to her protector; that's when she spotted it. The perfect bathing suit that was sure to bring out the desired reaction she wanted from Setsuna. She grabbed her size and put it at the bottom of the pile and gave another signature evil smile before skipping back to the dressing room.

"Ok, so I found a few things I think would look nice Set-chan." Konoka said with an innocent smile now. "I sorted out the tops with the shorts already so just throw them on in order!"

Setsuna reluctantly took the pile from Konoka and didn't notice her hand quickly hide behind her back. The warrior turned slowly and made her way into the same room that Konoka had been in. She slowly began to pick up the pieces in front of her and then smiled seeing what had been picked out. Setsuna was happy that it wasn't anything like Konoka was trying on; she had never really felt comfortable wearing girly things. The first set of shorts she slipped on were white with a red Japanese sun bursting out on the left leg. The top was a sports bra styled and black. The two together looked like they were meant just for her. She smiled when she thought about how Konoka had picked them out for her. The warrior heard her princess calling for her from the bench and slowly opened the door to show her the results of her choices.

_Damn it Set-chan... I'm not supposed to be the one blushing... I knew you would look good but seriously, you look soooo sexy right now..._

"Set-chan... that looks really, really good." said Konoka as she tried to tear her eyes away from Setsuna's perfectly toned stomach. "I knew board shorts and sports top were the way to go!"

Setsuna smiled and felt her face heat up while she looked at the ground. "You really think so? I like it too, I've never felt this comfortable with so little clothes on." She almost died as she realized what she just said. She looked up quickly with an awkward smile and laugh.

Konoka's heart began to race as her thoughts began to turn dirty. Quickly she shook them away. "So we agree then that that one's a keeper. Go try on some more!"

Setsuna tried on the rest and with Konoka's help, selected two more sets. She was getting tired of trying things on and was looking forward to getting back to her room when Konoka said that she had one last item she wanted to try on before they left. Setsuna nodded and took her spot back on the bench and watched as her princess made her way back into the room. All-in-all, Setsuna thought that the day was turning out pretty well. Despite being put into a dangerous situation alone with Konoka which ran the risk of her coming clean about her feelings, she managed to get through it. She mentally patted herself on the back for staying strong and loyal to her responsibilities as a bodyguard. For the second time that day she comfortably leaned back against the wall with her hands behind her head and her ankles crossing out in front of her. She knew she could do it; she was one of the school's strongest after all.

Suddenly, the dressing room door opened and Konoka stepped out. The last thing that Setsuna remembered before passing out was the chocolate haired girl wearing a white low cut top that slung over one shoulder and matching bottoms... that were small and thong style, tied up daringly from both sides. Setsuna crashed to the floor, brain locked in full hot overload.

"So, I guess this one's a yes then too?" smirked Konoka as she watched Setsuna in a spasm on the floor.

Eventually the two managed to gather up all their things and make their way to the cash to pay. Setsuna had blamed her whole passing out episode on the fact that it was really warm in the tiny room and her racing jacket was locking it all in. Konoka laughed to herself as she agreed with the young warrior. At the same time, the heiress felt a little deflated; sure she got a reaction from Setsuna, but she still didn't get a confession. She sighed as they hoped back onto Django and put her helmet on.

_You're more difficult to crack than I thought Set-chan... oh well, looks like I'll have to step it up on the trip..._

Setsuna slammed her visor down and jammed her keys into Django's ignition. As he roared to life, she revved his engine loud and hard for a few seconds before lifting her feet and taking off.

_That was a close one back there Setsuna... You can't afford another incident like that. Ojou-sama can't know your feelings towards her. During this trip you need to step up your self-restraint..._

They zoomed off down the street in the direction of the school. In less than twenty-four hours, they would find themselves enjoying sand and sun. Hopefully if everything worked out, this trip would finally bring the knight together with her one true princess... only time will tell.


	3. Tan lines? What Tan Lines?

**Alright, so here's chapter 3! Things are starting to get interesting in this story and I'm really having a good time writing this. I'd also like to thank anyone who's favourited this story, read it, and especially those who have reviewed it.**

**Also, if you are waiting for lemony goodness, you won't have too much longer. After this chapter there is definitely going to be a good amount coming from Asuna and Ayaka, and eventually a niiiiiiiice long stint from Konosetsu...**

**Please continue reading and thanks!**

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**Tan Lines? What Tan Lines?**

The following morning proved to be one of the most hectic and rushed moments of class 6-A's lives. Most of the girls were too excited to be going away in the morning and decided to stay up late and party. This was what unfortunately caused nearly all of them to sleep through the constant resets of their snooze buttons. It wasn't until Asuna came back from her last paper route of the week to find the dorm floor eerily silent, that the morning actually began. Running around as fast as she could, the fiery orange haired girl began yelling and smashing on each of her classmate's doors. One by one, they all slowly began to open their eyes, panic sinking in almost instantly. The floor erupted in screams as clothes began flying around rooms, hastily placed into luggage bags that were now being tossed out into the hallway. Even Ayaka had lost track of time and began barking out orders for everyone to calm down and pull themselves together.

Meanwhile Setsuna calmly placed her duffle bag over her shoulder and made her way over to Konoka's room. After returning from their outing yesterday, the two decided that instead of joining everyone else's partying they would meet up with Asuna and Negi to get everything situated. The swordswoman couldn't help but laugh as she saw a war-like scene unfolding down the hallway in front of her. Makie had accidently tossed her bag at the same time as Yunna from the room across from her. Their baggage hit, and their clothes had burst open like a colourful bomb, leaving an assortment of shirts, bathing suits, and panties scattered all over the floor. Setsuna also witnessed a rather irritated Chisame chase down an out of breath Chamo in order to grab back one of her most intimate pieces of underwear. She wasn't certain, but she swore she saw limbs from the twins sticking out from underneath a pile of random bags. Only her class could turn something as simple as a vacation into an apocalypse. She finally came to Konoka's door and, noticing it was open, made her way in.

"Hey Setsuna, just in time!" called Asuna as she was making her way up from the couch. "You can help me start to bring down all the luggage to the shuttle."

Setsuna smiled and greeted her friend in return before pausing with confusion. "Wait, what do you mean bring down all the luggage? Don't we only have ours an Ojou-sama's?"

"Weeeeeeeell..." began Asuna. "Ayaka-chan seems to be a little stressed out right now, so I figured I'd help calm her down a bit by packing up the gear. I mean, Operation Yukihiro Hook Up has to start somewhere right?"

"Right Asuna-san...how could I have forgotten?" Setsuna said hiding a laugh. "Why do I have to help though? You're the one who wants her..."

Asuna smirked as she tossed a bag hard into Setsuna's chest. "Because, it's payback for all those mornings of training my tired ass into the ground." She brushed by the swordswoman and whispered to her. "Besides, even though you don't want to act on it, all of this heavy lifting is sure to impress Konoka..."

Setsuna's face quickly flushed a bright shade of red which faded almost as fast. After taking a deep breath and giving Asuna a look of pure irritation, she gathered up a few more bags and followed her friend out the door to the shuttle. In less time than she thought it would take, Setsuna threw the last bag into the vehicles storage compartment and reached up to close the door. After a small bit of difficulty, she managed to finally close it with a hard push. She reached up to whipe her forehead with her sleeve when she suddenly noticed bright brown eyes looking up from beside her.

"Hey Set-chan!" greeted Konoka with a big smile on her face. "It was very nice of you to help Asuna and Ayaka-san with the luggage." She reached over and hugged Setsuna's arm, making sure to strategically place it between her breasts. "I hope you were careful though... pulling anything or tiring yourself out before we get a chance to have any fun on this trip would be a shame..."

Setsuna noticed from the corner of her eye Konoka's low cut tank top almost allowing too much cleavage threatening to pour out. Focusing, she cleared her head and smiled at Konoka. "It's ok Ojou...Kono-chan... they weren't too heavy and I've done enough training to not injure myself or get worn out."

Konoka smiled back at the swordswoman, pressing herself even closer to her. "Well good Set-chan! Now hurry up and sit with me on the shuttle so we can get this vacation going!"

With that, Setsuna tapped the side of the shuttle as Konoka pulled her over to the open doors. It wasn't long before Ayaka, followed by Asuna and Negi made their way onto the awaiting vehicle last. Negi was forcefully pushed ahead of Asuna and reluctantly made his way up the small set of stairs where he heard a small squeak from Nodoka calling him over to sit with her. Asuna moved to the side and waited for the class rep to make her way onto the shuttle.

"I guess that I should probably thank you for helping to calm down everyone this morning." sighed Ayaka. "Also for loading up the shuttle and getting Setsuna-san to help you..." Despite trying to sound uncaring, Ayaka couldn't help but smile inside her head. She didn't know if it was on purpose or if it was some sort of fluke, but whatever it was, she rather liked this side of Asuna. It reminded her of some of the happy times they used to have together. Hopefully, she would see more of this from her oldest friend.

Asuna smirked with a wink. "No problem Ayaka-chan. Just looking forward to getting this show on the road..."

The two of them hoped on and found the last two empty seats beside each other. Ayaka offered the window seat to Asuna, which she happily took. She smiled at the blonde beside her before turning her head to look out the window.

_Getting this show on the road in more ways than one Ayaka... soon, I'll definitely have you soon..._

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"AHHHH! SEAWEED!" Shrieked Makie from the water after being knocked over by a giant wave. The group of girls around her all doubled over into the water, laughing as she struggled to yank it off her head.

It was late afternoon when Setsuna and Asuna placed down their towels on top of their lounge chairs. The sun was bright, the temperature was causing the mercury to burst through the thermometer, and the drinks were all free courtesy of the Yukihiro family. Setsuna gave a deep, relaxed sigh as she lightly fell back into her chair. She placed her arms behind her head and let her white and black flip flops fall to the ground. As soon as she was given her room key, the swordswoman was told by Konoka to go to her room and change for the beach. She quickly rummaged through her bag and grabbed her first swim suit she tried on the day before, throwing it on with a black muscle shirt and her favourite pair of black Oakley's. She slipped on the flip flops and ran out the door where she met Asuna. The orange haired girl was wearing a dark blue and white bikini with boy cut bottoms, also sporting her favourite pair of shades. Asuna had told Setsuna that Konoka wasn't ready yet and that she told them to go on without her, she would meet them as soon as she was done. It was definitely shaping up to be the perfect first day out there on the island.

"Man Setsuna, this sun is feeling pretty damn good on the ol' battle scares yeah?" asked Asuna as she stretched out on her stomach. "I gotta give it to Ayaka, girl knows how to live."

Setsuna closed her eyes and smiled. "Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on that one Asuna-san. I wish Kono-chan would hurry up though, I don't understand what's taking her so long... what if something happened? Maybe I should head back to check on h-..."

She was interrupted by a jab to the leg from her friend. "Konoka's fine Setsuna, calm down and enjoy yourself."

Truthfully, Asuna knew what was actually taking the heiress so long. Konoka had to make sure that everything looked perfect and that she picked out the right swim suit to wear. Asuna's job was to keep her impatient and over worried friend busy until Konoka was ready. She sighed as she kept watch of Setsuna from the corner of her eye. The swordswoman, despite trying to look relaxed was becoming slightly fidgety.

_Konoka better get her ass out here soon or else birdbrain her is gonna blow a gasket...Wait, WHOA!_

Asuna pushed herself up onto her forearms and pushed her sunglasses upwards to get a better look. "H-hey Setsuna... I think you need to see something..."

Sighing in irritation Setsuna leaned forward and pulled her sunglasses down before turning her head in the same direction as Asuna. "Asuna-san what is it no-..." Setsuna's mouth appeared to no longer know how to form words.

What caught Asuna's eye, was the tall model shaped blonde making her way towards them. She was wearing a tiny black triangle bikini top with a matching black string tied bottom. Asuna had to put her hand up to her mouth to physically push her tongue back inside her head. Setsuna on the other hand had her complete attention glued to Konoka. Apparently, the heiress decided on going with her second bathing suit choice, which was a white halter style top with white bottoms that seemed to have some sort of decorative belt lying on an angle at the top. It gave the chocolate haired girl an almost bond-girl look. The adventurer look seemed to really do it for the swordswoman, even though she had seen her try it on in the store it looked different out in the sunlight. Before the pair of girls managed to get any closer, Setsuna quickly shoved her glasses back on and casually settled back down into her chair. It was times like these, Setsuna thought as she squeezed her eyes shut clearing her mind, that she was glad she wasn't a boy. If she was, the tell tale signs of arousal would surely have given her away. Remembering her promise to herself to step up her focus on duties, the swordswoman shook her head and did away with any feelings of want and desire.

The two girls were in mid conversation with each other when they approached the two friends sitting together. Apparently, Ayaka was discussing some ideas that she had with Konoka about some group activities they could all participate in. Ayaka quietly smiled at Konoka as she subtly pointed towards a very fidgety Setsuna. Konoka smiled back and gave the class rep a devious wink, seeming to understand she followed the heiress's lead.

"Hey guys, sorry I took so long." Konoka said in an innocent and apologetic tone. She sat down on the side of Setsuna's lounge chair and crossed her legs. "I just couldn't decide what to wear. This looks alright yeah, Set-chan?"

Setsuna gulped and dared to glance over at Asuna, who was too busy being occupied with looking at Ayaka's full view from behind. She cursed her and then slowly brought her eyes up to meet Konoka's. "Yes Ojou-sama..." she saw a frown spread across her princess's face. "I mean, you look great Kono-chan."

Konoka Squealed and quickly wrapped her arms around Setsuna for a full frontal glomping. Again, Setsuna thanked the gods that she wasn't a boy. "Oh! I almost forgot Set-chan and Asuna-chan. Ayaka-san and I have been talking about ideas for things we can all do together during the week!"

Ayaka stopped her silent giggles as she sat down on Asuna's lounge chair, causing her to turn on her side and try to keep her hands off the class rep. "Hey, why don't we talk them over a little more while we work on our tans Konoka-san? Asuna-chan, would you please grab two more loungers and bring them over here so we can lay down on them?"

Asuna was up within seconds and gave Ayaka a smile and thumbs up as she went out in search of two more chairs. She noticed that somehow, Ayaka had either been told about Konoka's plan to win Setsuna over or, like the rest of the class, she had always known there was something between the two and was helping to finally bring it out. Asuna smiled as she thought about how generous the class rep was, not only when it came to extravagant trips and gifts, but also when it came to helping friends. She felt her heart suddenly thump; could it be that maybe the feelings she had towards the blonde beauty were more than just physical? Maybe, just maybe she would find out over the next few days. She spotted two chairs and began to make her way back to her group when she saw Konoka basically attacking Setsuna for her shirt.

"Set-chan! How do you expect to get any tan at all with that shirt on?" she yelled out as she finally grabbed a fistful of shirt. "Honestly, you like the top we bought yesterday. Work it!"

Setsuna blushed as she felt her shirt lift over her head. "Kono-chan! What if I burn?"

Konoka was in a daze again as she took in the full site of Setsuna's lean, muscular body topped off with those hot looking sunglasses.

_Seriously? I would give anything if I could just touch her...wait a minute..._

"It's fine Set-chan, here." She reached down into her bag and pulled out a bottle of tanning lotion. She popped the top off and slowly placed some in her hands, rubbing them together a little before bringing her hands up to rest on Setsuna's taught stomach. She smiled and subtly closed her eyes as she felt the muscles in the swordswoman's stomach tighten in shock from the cool feel of the lotion. It also could have been from the sudden realization that Konoka's hands were touching her in general. Either way Konoka felt very evil as she began to rub the lotion all over Setsuna's body, paying special attention to her back, neck and legs. "There, now you don't have to worry about a sunburn!"

After recovering from her near heart attack, Setsuna sat back down and watched as Konoka settled onto her stomach on the chair placed beside hers. She looked over and noticed that Ayaka was doing the same next to Asuna and that the later was casually keeping eyes on her. The swordswoman gently began to lie back down in order to enjoy the sun, when she heard the noise of the class rep clearing her throat. She sat back up again when she heard a conversation begin.

"Konoka-san, have you put any lotion on your back? I know that you want to get a little darker but the sun is rather harsh today." Ayaka said hiding a smile. She decided once Konoka told her about the plan on the way over that she would do whatever she could to push Setsuna along. "Setsuna-san, why don't you grab the bottle over there and help Konoka-san put some on her back?"

Seizing the opportunity, Asuna jumped at the chance to get some time in for her plan. "Maybe I should throw some on you too Ayaka-chan." she began as she moved closer. "I mean, we can't have our class coming back to school and be represented by a lobster..."

"Whatever, just try to avoid making a mess with those monkey hands..." retorted Ayaka.

Asuna tossed over the extra bottle of tanning lotion to Setsuna with a wink and began to place a small handful of it on the class rep's back. Setsuna lowered her head to try and pull herself together. Certainly she had thought about similar situations to this for years. Most of them usually ending up with her and Konoka in various positions, hot and sweaty, with Setsuna getting an earful of her name being moaned in broken gasps. Setsuna was at least half human after all, she did have needs. These images were the only things that kept her from going insane ever since coming back from the Kyoto trip a few years ago. Of course, her demon side may have put an emphasis on the dirty details. When these thoughts happened though, the voice of her more rational and responsible side tuned in and reminded her to push them away. She was meant to protect, she was meant to serve, she knew that she wasn't worthy. Snapping back into reality, Setsuna looked down at the lotion bottle and decided that there was no way to avoid this. As she began to struggle with opening the bottle, Konoka spoke up.

"Oh wait!" she said as she slightly rose up onto her forearms. "I don't want to have any tan lines! Set-chan, can you undo my top for me? I can't seem to reach it."

The bottle of lotion seemed to have a mind of its' own as a small bit of its contents suddenly came bursting out with a shocked squeeze from Setsuna. Asuna quickly shoved her face into her towel to hide the tears of laughter now streaming down her it. Konoka peeked over to see a bright red Setsuna staring off somewhere before turning back to Ayaka and smiling with her tongue stuck out. Surprisingly, she felt the slow movement of long, calloused fingers untying the knot behind her neck before making their way down to do the same for the second knot. Then she felt those same hands come back with a small amount of lotion and start to gently rub it into her skin. Konoka blushed as she felt her body start to heat up. Her own thoughts were starting to become clouded with wishes for a more private setting where Setsuna could climb up on top of her and venture those hands further along her body. She looked up to see a look of pure concentration radiating off of Setsuna's face. The swordswoman was determined to prove to herself that she could do this, for Konoka's sake, and still remain loyal to both her and her responsibilities. It took everything she had to keep herself from confessing to her princess her true feelings; but with the last bit of lotion rubbed in, she pulled it off. Cheers as loud as those coming from a stadium were sounding off inside her head as she leaned back and gave Konoka a smile.

"There you go Kono-chan." She said while scratching the back of her head. "Now I've even managed to have some help in protecting you from the sun."

With a sigh of defeat, Konoka forced a smile back to her guardian. "Thank you Set-chan, I knew I could always count on you in my time of need."

The four friends laid back after that and took a little time to relax and soak in their surroundings. For a while no one even bothered to say anything, and Setsuna took comfort in just listening to the waves accompanying the soft breathing coming from the princess beside her. Even Asuna seemed to be handling herself well with Ayaka by making playful insults with each other.

_If Asuna keeps it up, maybe her crazy plan might actually work..._

Konoka sighed as she rolled over onto her back, bending up her right knee and placing her hands behind her head after stretching out. "So, any more ideas for activities?"

Ayaka thought for a moment before answering. "Well, I do like the idea of having a bonfire tomorrow night right out here on the beach. I don't think many of the others have ever really been to one."

"Ya! Plus, Negi has always been talking about these camp food things called smores... they sound pretty good!" added Asuna. "Maybe we can sucker the brat into showing us how to make them."

Konoka laughed and Setsuna smiled and shook her head. "Asuna-chan, all you ever think about is food." Konoka felt a flip flop gently hit her side after it left Asuna's hands. "Hey! I could have died!"

Setsuna's ears twitched, she was about to jump up and retaliate with her own discarded flip flop when she heard the laughter coming from Konoka. All was safe, she really could over react sometimes. Then, she had an idea pop into her head. "Why don't we have a scavenger hunt? They seem pretty fun, I remember when one of Kono-chan's caregivers used to set them up for us when we were little..."

Konoka Shot up in her seat. "OOOOOOOOO! A scavenger hunt would be so much fun! Good idea Set-chan, it's been so long!"

Ayaka thought about it and then smiled with excitement. "Yes, that's definitely a good idea Setsuna-san. We could have all the girls team up in groups of two, each team gets a list, and the winning team can even get a fabulous prize!" she quickly glanced over to Asuna, knowing who she wanted for a partner already. "I'll need a few hours to set up lists, so we can do that tomorrow before having the fire."

"Sounds awesome!" agreed Asuna. "I imagine you two kids will most likely be the winning couple...team. Setsuna is very competitive and always knows her way around the wilderness." She looked over to Konoka and smirked.

Konoka smirked back and then grabbed Setsuna's hand. "So how about it Set-chan? Will you be my partner?"

Setsuna gripped Konoka's hand tighter and stood up. "Of course I'll be your partner Kono-chan. Do you know what kind of things might be out there in the jungle?" a look of pure seriousness set upon her. "There is no way I'd let you go wondering around out there with some incompetent classmate of ours!"

The three other girls laughed as Setsuna began to panic and ramble on aimlessly about all sorts of dangers that could possibly be waiting out there to kidnap or kill her princess. She began to grow paler with each thought of beast or poisonous insect lurking in the shadows crossing her mind. "...You know, maybe we should forget about it..."

"Oh come on Setsuna." said Asuna with a slap to the swordswoman's back. "You're a badass, half demon swords master with the ability to take out an entire demon army with a single swipe. I'm pretty sure the scariest thing in the forest tomorrow will be you... Oh, and Mana... yeah you and Mana."

This time, all four of them laughed, even Setsuna. She was now looking forward to spending the next day with Konoka playing what would surely be the most ridiculous game in the history of scavenger hunts. She hoped more than anything that nothing too dangerous would happen tomorrow, both by means of the jungle and with Konoka's wardrobe. The rest of the afternoon was spent coming up with a few more ideas for the rest of the week. Since tomorrow they would be having the Scavenger hunt followed by the bonfire that night, the next few days had a few more little things for them to do. These ideas included a beach volleyball tournament, surfing lessons, sand castle building competition, and finally the last night would hold a huge tropical style dance party complete with food and booze. This vacation was sure to leave a lasting impression on the final few months that 6-A had together before separating into university.

It was getting close to dinner time so the four girls began to pack up their things to go. Setsuna pulled her shirt back over her head and gave her head a small shake to make sure there were no random bits of sand logged in there. She was starting to fold up her towel and slip her flip flops back on when she heard it.

"HEY! HEADS UP SAKURAZAKI!" yelled Yunna from 30 feet away.

"IT'S ALRIGHT, I GOT IT!" replied Negi.

Setsuna looked up and saw a Frisbee spinning straight for her followed closely by a determined Negi. "Wha-wha-... Negi-kun hold up!"

BAM!

The two collided into a heap in the sand, the Frisbee resting ever so innocently on top of Setsuna's face. Slowly she removed it and rubbed her forehead, waiting for the beach to stop spinning in front of her. She quickly looked down to make sure that Negi was all in one piece and conscious. Seeing him at least awake was all she needed before making her way up onto her feet.

"Are you two ok?" said Konoka as she and Asuna made their way over to them. "It looked like it hurt..."

Setsuna turned her head to face them as she extended a hand to Negi to help him up. "Yeah I'm fine Kono-chan... I think Negi is ok t-..."

Sand must have logged its way into Negi's nose because suddenly, his face began to tense up. Without much more warning, Negi let loose one of the biggest sneezes he'd ever had in the last few years. Unfortunately for Konoka and Asuna, he was directly in line with them. Their suits had now becomes small particles that were scattering away through the air on impact. Standing before Setsuna was a now naked, yet trying to cover herself, Konoka. The sight only lasted a few seconds as blood rushed to her face causing her to fall backwards.

"NEGI YOU STUPID BRAT ARE YOU SERIOUS?" screamed an enraged naked and cowering Asuna. "IT'S BEEN YEARS AND NOW YOU SUDDENLY HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN? I'M GOING TO KILL YOU MAGE BOY!"

Negi took off pleading for his life as Asuna tore her towel of her chair and engaged in hot pursuit. Konoka wrapped a towel around herself and made her way down to help Setsuna regain consciousness. Ayaka on the other hand just stood and stared off after Asuna.

_...Even though I like Asuna being all nice to me... There's nothing I love more than seeing her pissed off...and naked..._

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Night was slowly beginning to fall over the island as Setsuna, Konoka, and Asuna made their ways back to their rooms. After Asuna had given up on catching Negi, all the girls made their way to the dining hall for dinner. As they were eating, Ayaka had announced to the rest of the class the plans for the following day which were greeted with cheers and fist pumps. After eating, Konoka had said that she was tired and was thinking about heading to bed early so she would be well rested and on guard for the event the next day. Setsuna had decided that she would make a quick round of the area and place up some 24 hour protective seals. Asuna said that she wasn't tired yet and would leave Konoka to grab some sleep while she helped out Setsuna. After being told for the fifth time by Konoka to be careful, the two friends set out with Yunnagi and their pactio cards.

After trekking around for two hours making a large perimeter around the resort, Setsuna was placing the last seal up on a nearby tree. The two hadn't seen or heard much from the wildlife, every now and then a bat would swoop by or a small monkey could be seen sleeping high in the trees. The swordswoman was taking this as a good sign and began to feel slightly childish for her thoughts from earlier. She took a deep breath and felt the salty sea air fill her lungs, it made the rest of her body relax and feel comfortable. She looked over at Asuna and saw her staring off into the sky, something clearly on her mind. Thinking it was something serious, Setsuna asked her what was wrong.

"Aw, it's nothing Setsuna." she replied. "You'll only laugh at me."

Setsuna rolled her eyes. Sure, Asuna said things sometimes that would cause her to burst out in fits of laughter, but Setsuna always knew the right time and place for it. She held the utmost respect for Asuna, and would never intentionally do anything to hurt her feelings. "Come on Asuna-san, you know that I won't. Just tell me."

Asuna sat down on an old log and sighed. "I know that you keep telling yourself that you can't, and I get, it I do.' She began. "But, could you tell me what it's like to be in love Setsuna?"

The swordswoman froze up, she wasn't expecting such a heavy question to come from her friend. She looked around while kicking at the ground before deciding to join Asuna on the log. She took a deep breath, knowing that she really couldn't deny the feelings she had for Konoka, at least not to Asuna. "Listen Asuna-san, don't go saying any of this back to Kono-chan ok?" she watched as Asuna nodded. "Ok, well... how to explain...Every time I see Kono-chan's eyes squint up when she puts on that big smile of hers it makes me feel the happiest I've ever felt. It's like every little bit of joy she feels somehow goes through her and becomes a part of me. But that's not all... it doesn't stop at happiness. Any time Kono-chan feels sad, upset, mad, scared... I feel it too. I feel like I'm completely and utterly connected to her, like she is the one true person I'm meant to be with forever, be it as her guardian or...otherwise. I guess love, is when you care about someone so much that even the shortest of absences away from them feels too long. When the best part of you day is even getting a chance to glance at them from across the room, and going to bed at night knowing that you get the privilege of seeing them the next day. Love, Asuna-san, is knowing and feeling that you would risk everything including your own life in order to protect them. Love for me, is Konoka..."

When she finished explaining, she slowly looked down from where her eyes had wondered in the sky. An odd feeling of lightness had fallen on her, as if a mountain had been lifted off of her chest. For the first time since before she could remember, Setsuna actually felt like she could truly breathe again. She smiled and laughed to herself before turning to Asuna. Surprise suddenly spreading across her face as she saw Asuna, the class's toughest girl, crying.

"Asuna-san, what's wrong?" Setsuna asked with a hint of panic. "Did I say something wrong?"

Asuna sniffled and whipped her eyes before playfully punching the swordswoman in the arm. "No you Baka! That's just it, you said everything right." She cleared her throat and watched as confusion set in on Setsuna. "Do you realize what you've just said? If you told Konoka all that she would be yours in a second! You may be tough on the outside Setsuna, but on the inside you're really something else..."

Setsuna sighed as sadness began to seep back in. "Trust me Asuna-san, there's nothing in the world that I want more than to tell her everything." She stood up and kicked a lose rock off into the woods. "As I've said before, I have responsibilities to her and her family that I cannot afford to endanger. It would violate ever code of a guardian... not to mention she's an heiress for an entire association and I'm just some lowly half demon..."

"But Setsuna!" yelled Asuna.

"Just...just drop it ok." replied the swordswoman. "It can't ever be alright? Remember what I said about love a minute ago Asuna? How you would risk anything to ensure their protection? Well, that's what I'm doing... my wants, desires, and my own true happiness to make sure I can keep her safe...Now come on, it's getting late and we have a long day tomorrow..."

Setsuna turned and began to make her way back to her villa room along the water. Asuna paused for a second and watched her friend slowly and painfully walk away. She knew that Setsuna loved Konoka very much, but she never would have thought that it ran as deep as Setsuna described it. She felt her feet pulling her towards her own room, and eventually she stood in front of her door where she whispered goodnight to her best friend before both opened their doors. Asuna quietly got ready for bed and gently lay down on the one across from the passed out Konoka. For a while she just lay there, watching her friend sleep thinking about everything Setsuna had said. She wondered if she could ever feel the same way about Ayaka or if Ayaka could ever feel that way about her. As she thought she heard a low and quiet groan come from the bed next to her.

"...mmm...Set-chan..." came from Konoka as she gently turned over to hug the extra pillow.

Asuna smiled and couldn't help but let a tear fall from her eye. If only her friends knew how each of them really, truly felt about each other. It was almost maddening to see them apart; they would be completely perfect for each other. Before drifting to sleep, the last thought Asuna had was to make sure she did whatever was humanly possible to show Setsuna there was more to her life than what she thought... that sometimes, doing what was right meant following what your heart truly desires...


	4. You Want Me to Put My What, On Where?

**Awesome! So here's chapter 4, all ready to go. **

**I promise that the lemon stuff starts next chapter, honestly it will and I'm excited and looking forward to writing it!**

**I hope everyone enjoys this and please, don't be scared to review it!**

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**You Want Me To Put My What, On Where?**

The air circulating around the beach was tense as the waves came crashing down in loud thunderous sweeps. It was almost like that awkward calm before a mighty storm as the girls of class 6-A came marching down the sandy landscape towards the shoreline where an eager Blonde and Orange haired duo were waiting. There was only one thing on the minds of these snarling girls...blood...

"Come on Ayaka-san, we're dying here already!" yelled Yuna with an added sigh of impatience. "Just hand over the lists and tell us what the main prize is!"

"Yeah, because everyone knows that Yuna-chan and I are gonna kick some serious a-..." Makie was interrupted by a hand placed over her mouth from her scavenger hunt partner Yuna. The rest of the class watched as the two got a cold look from the class rep before they all giggled off the situation.

Ever since Setsuna had come up with the idea for a scavenger hunt involving her entire class the day before, Ayaka had been hard at work scrounging everything together. The class had already partnered themselves off into groups of two, most of them instantly coming up with plans of strategy in order to beat the competition. Setsuna, though still shaken by her talk with Asuna the previous night, was focused and looking forward to the challenge. She was also excited to be teamed up with the only obvious choice for her partner, Konoka. After getting back to her room last night, the swordswoman quickly jumped on her room's computer and looked up the area of the island. She was sure to check out any possible dangers that may lie out in the dense jungle, since her barriers would take care of any supernatural ones. Just as she thought, there were some pretty odd looking and slightly poisonous array of insects, frogs and snakes. She tried her best to make a mental note of where most of the more lethal ones could be found so that they could easily be avoided. After finishing her quick dip into research mode, Setsuna began to pack up a small bag filled with supplies for both her and Konoka in order to ensure they could make it through the game without stopping. A few minutes later she passed out face down on the bed, trying to calm her thoughts from everything that had being getting to her over the past few days.

Now, Setsuna was standing in the sand looking off to the fringe of the jungle laid out a few good feet beside them. She was itching to start the game with Konoka, remembering how much fun she used to have watching the young heiress run around her family's estate looking for objects, often pulling the swordswoman behind her. She couldn't help but think about how much simpler it was to be with Konoka back then; sure she was just as in love with Konoka now as she was then, if not more, but growing up often complicates things. She was still smiling to herself when she felt a soft hand rest on her shoulder. Turning, she found the bright and shinning face of Konoka looking at her with a sense of questioning.

"What are you smiling about Set-chan?" she asked with a slight giggle, pretty much guessing what it was already.

"N-nothing really Kono-chan..." Setsuna replied as she further snapped out of it. "Just some old memories from when we used to have hunts." She finished with a smile as she tried to cover up the blush that was forming. Despite what she had told Asuna off with last night, Setsuna still couldn't help but feel her feelings trying to get the best of her. She picked her bag off of the ground and slung it on her back, throwing the feelings with it as she began to re-focus. "Are you ready Kono-chan? You have to remember though, we need to be careful. We aren't the only things out there..."

Konoka was about to say something in relation to Setsuna swooping in to save the day like she always does, when she felt a piece of paper being thrust into her hands. At last, Ayaka had her partner Asuna hand out the scavenger hunt lists to the rest of their classmates. Konoka quickly glanced at it before motioning for Setsuna to come take a look with her. The swordswoman leaned her face in towards the paper, her body tensed for a moment as she felt Konoka's bare shoulder press into hers and the faint feeling of the heiress's warm breathe near her. She was about to back away when she heard a small, sweet giggle slip from Konoka. Thinking that she was laughing at her blush, Setsuna glanced over and noticed that the chocolate haired girl was actually laughing at something she had read on the paper. Now interested to see what was so funny, Setsuna glanced back at the paper and began to read the list to herself.

**6-A's Hunt For Ultimate Supremacy! Object List**

A shell

Odd shaped rock

A bug (preferably in a jar...)

Some shed snake skin

A white sock

Panties from a girl who's not your partner (the racier, the better...)

Seaweed

Ocean water (but it can't be placed in a bottle)

A picture of a waterfall

An empty, but used shot glass

Some sort of fruit peel

An embarrassing picture (of anyone)

Seaglass

Something of Negi's... (from his room, or off of him...)

Setsuna laughed at the last object listed; automatically assuming that was what Konoka had giggled at. She looked over to the heiress and saw that she was still giggling to herself. Thinking that stealing something off of Negi wasn't really that funny, the swordswoman asked Konoka what it was she was actually laughing at.

"It's just too bad..." began Konoka with a sneaky look flashing in her eyes. As soon as she saw the object on the list, she thought about how she could use it to her advantage against Setsuna. "I mean, number six would have been a lot easier if we could use mine. I would have had the perfect pair of panties for that one!"

There was a flash of Konoka seductively laying out across Setsuna's bed wearing only what could technically be considered as panties in the swordswoman's mind. Her jaw was about to drop at the sudden thought, but it was interrupted by another sweet giggle from the heiress. Embarrassment quickly made its way through her as she fumbled to snatch the paper out of Konoka's hands. Luckily for her, Asuna yelled out for everyone to be quiet so that Ayaka could tell everyone what the prize would be.

"Alright, as you all know whenever the Yukihiro family endorses an event there is sure to be a fabulous prize..." began Ayaka with a smile. "So, instead of telling you what it is, I'm going to give you all a hint. It involves something very special for just you and your partner...something you'll never forget depending on how you use it..."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" shouted Haruna with flailing arms.

"Yeah, what kinda hint is that?" asked Kazumi.

"Oooo Set-chan! Now we need to win for sure!" whispered Konoka to her guardian. "Anything special just for the two of use sounds like it could be a very...VERY goodtime." Setsuna inwardly kicked herself as she watched Konoka smile at her.

The class began to line up at the starting line in their groups, everyone still mumbling to each other over what the prize could possibly be. The atmosphere began to tense up again as they all prepared to make a break for their first chosen object. Asuna grabbed Ayaka's hand and dragged her to their spot on the line, winking towards Setsuna as they approached.

"Are you ready Mana-de gozu?" asked Keade from her crouched start position.

There was a loud click of a new clip of bullets being loaded into the assassin's Desert Eagle; the girls around her all slightly flinched and shuffled away. "Locked and loaded..."

"Go!" shouted Ayaka.

As soon as the words left the class rep's mouth, the girls were off with a long trail of sand blowing up in their wake. Setsuna had quickly grabbed a hold of Konoka's hand just before the start signal, allowing them to gain the lead together. Konoka was surprised at the sudden gesture from the swordswoman, and was also greeted by a warm feeling spreading all the way from Setsuna's touch to her toes.

_I really hope my plan is working... there's only so much longer I can stand not being together with Set-chan... Well, let's just see what I can do while we're out in the jungle..._

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Instead of following the majority of the class to find the easier objects first, Asuna and Ayaka had decided on getting the more difficult ones out of the way. It had actually been Ayaka's idea to start this way, figuring that maybe no one else would have thought about it and would give them a chance to be alone. The class rep wasn't completely sure, but she had an odd feeling that she wasn't the only one in their small group who felt something for the other. She had made it her top priority to get to the bottom of her situation with Asuna.

After half an hour of trekking through some dense brush, the two had managed to get a hold of the bug, a weird shaped rock that apparently resembled Negi's head, and a picture of a waterfall. Things seemed to be going well for them as Asuna would lead the way, gently clearing aside any dangers or vines. Every so often she would glance over her shoulder to smile and ask how Ayaka was doing. Much to her delight, there were a few times she would quickly look back without warning to see the class rep staring at her butt or blushing to herself.

_Huh, would you look at that... looks to me like today may be the day I finally get Ayaka... and it's only the first full day here... alright, keep focused and keep the plan going..._

The last object that they needed to find out in this part of the island was the snake skin. According to the information Ayaka had looked through yesterday, now was usually the time of season where most of the snakes on the island had grown enough to rid themselves of their old ones. The class rep was extremely creped out by this, but thought that it would make a perfect object to find; after all, she couldn't be the only one who thought snakes were gross. After another twenty minutes or so of walking, Asuna came to a quick halt causing Ayaka to gently bump and press into her. Asuna's head began to spin as she heard the gentle escape of air coming from the blonde behind her as well as the sudden grab on the back of her arms. For a quick moment there was silence before Asuna cleared her throat and remembered why she had stopped in the first place.

"Ayaka, look over there." she said as she pointed towards what caught her eye. "I think we're in luck."

Ayaka slowly brought her head up from between Asuna's shoulder blades and looked to where she was pointing. "I-is that...is that the snake skin hanging off of that rock over there?" she closed her eyes and shivered as she felt Asuna nod.

Asuna quickly left Ayaka and ran over to odd looking object on their list. Not really wanting to touch it herself, she snagged a stick off of the ground and stuck it through the dried bit of skin. It came loose from the rock with a slightly sickening snapping noise which caused Ayaka's stomach to turn instantly. She tried to hide her now green tinted face as Asuna made her way over to her. The orange haired girl was about to search through her bag for something she could put the snake skin in, when an idea popped into her head. To any rational person, this idea would seem to be stupid and very childish; but to Asuna, it seemed like the perfect way to start something with the class rep.

"Ayaka... Do you not like snakes or something?" she asked as an evil smile formed on her lips. "You really shouldn't be ya know... snakes are pretty cool. Just look at this!"

Ayaka screamed as the stick holding the snake skin was thrust in her direction. "AHHHH WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU MONKEY? THAT'S DISGUSTING!"

Asuna laughed and continued to inch towards the squeamish class rep. "Oh come on Ayaka... don't be such a baby!"

"ASUNA KAGURAZAKA, IF YOU TAKE ONE MORE STEP CLOSER I SWEAR TO YOU THAT IT WILL BE YOUR LAST!" screamed Ayaka, now becoming deathly serious.

Then it happened; Asuna's foot hit the top of a tree root that was sticking out of the ground before her. Before she had time to react, she was already heading face first into a frozen in place Ayaka. With a loud crash, the two collided and tumbled backwards down a small hill. When they came to a stop, Ayaka felt something strange resting on her face. Opening her eyes, her soul seemed to jump completely out of her body as she realized that the snake skin was currently resting on her nose. With a scream she tore it off and started to scrub at her nose with the back of her arm. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. Suddenly she heard a small laugh coming from beside her. With her face becoming red with rage, Ayaka looked over and saw that Asuna was sitting up and covering her mouth, eyes wide and filled with laughter.

"I'll have to admit it Ayaka..." began Asuna. "The snake skin look really suits you..."

All sense snapped from Ayaka at that very moment. "Why you!..."

Ayaka lunged for Asuna, surprise and a hint of fear striking the latter's face. Both hit the ground again in a twist of limbs and flying bits of dirt. Asuna quickly tried to get the upper hand, attempting to protect herself from the angry grabby hands of her class rep. She was surprised at how strong the blonde was; usually their fights were never this intense and always ended just as fast as they started. Heavy breathing and groaning came from the both of them as they rolled around trying to get the upper hand on the other. Neither was going to give up at this point, and it looked like a dead even battle.

With as much strength that Asuna could gather up without summoning her pactio contract, she grabbed Ayaka's shoulders and forced her to turn over on her back. She quickly rolled up on top of her and continued to hold her down. Ayaka struggled underneath of her, flailing her arms slightly as she tried to land a hit. She looked up and instantly her eyes locked with Asuna's. Ayaka didn't understand what came over her at that moment, but she felt a powerful heat crash through her entire body as soon as their eyes met. She quickly raised her hands to both sides of Asuna's face and pulled her down to hers, locking her into a deep kiss.

At first, Asuna had no idea what was going on. Was she really being pulled into a hot make out session with the one person she had dreamed about this with for the longest time? She opened her eyes briefly and glanced at the girl under her who was now desperately weaving her tongue around Asuna's bottom lip.

_...FINALLY!_

She slammed her eyes shut again and slowly opened her mouth, causing Ayaka to give a moan of approval. Ayaka's hands found themselves reaching up behind Asuna's head and ripping out her twin ponytails in order to get her hands better tangled up into her hair. Asuna slid her hands slowly down Ayaka's sides, coming to a rest on her hips. A fierce and heated battle was still raging its way between two girls tongues as both tried to fight for dominance. Ayaka broke quickly for air, and as she gasped she felt teeth close over her bottom lip, and gently pulling it forward. Asuna slowly began to move her hand to the bottom of Ayaka's shirt to lift it up when she felt a gentle nudge push her away. Confused, she looked at the class rep.

"We're kind of in the middle of a game right now Asuna..." Ayaka said with a smirk. "Besides monkey girl, you're hair is a total mess..." she winked at Asuna and gave an evil giggle.

Asuna sat up, still straddling the class rep. "Oh yeah? Well, you're all dirty... and had snake skin on your face."

Ayaka laughed as she watched Asuna stick her tongue out at her. Slowly, Asuna got up and brushed herself off. She then offered her hand to the blonde to help her off the ground. Ayaka also began to brush herself off when she suddenly felt hands gently brushing off her backside.

"We can't have something that looks that good covered in dirt..." mumbled Asuna before clearing her throat and turning around. "Anyway, let's get going we still got a few more things to grab. I'll go pick up the snake skin so we can head out."

Ayaka couldn't help but keep her eyes on the orange haired girl as she walked over to the object and placed it in a bag. She still couldn't get over what had just happened, or that she was in fact the one to initiate it. She had wanted this for so long and cursed at herself for ending it too quickly. Sighing, she stretched out her arms before joining Asuna on their walk back to resort for the rest of the objects. Without a word, Asuna reached out and grabbed Ayaka's hand. She looked up quickly and smiled at her before staring back down at the ground, thoughts lost with images of what almost could have been. Ayaka blushed but didn't pull out of the gesture.

_That was unexpected, but I'm glad that something finally happened... now I know that she has similar feelings...I hope we get another chance soon, it would be a shame for that to be it..._

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There was a loud piercing scream that rang out from one of the resort rooms that had the potential to be heard from the other side of the island. The one scream was then joined by several others as the door to the room burst open and flung off of its hinges. Suddenly, a figure trampled its way out of the room and made a break for the beach; a large grin radiating off its dark features.

"Damn it Mana-san! Class rep is gonna killllll you!" yelled Haruna as she nudged the now broken door with her foot.

"Not if I get my hands on her first!" replied Chisame, bursting out of her room and hitting the beach with rage.

When the girls had seen that the sixth item on the object list was a pair of racy panties, they all knew that Chisame's room was the place to go. A full scale pillow fight and battle of flailing limbs had broken out just before Setsuna and Konoka had showed up outside the room. Seeing what was going on inside, the swordswoman gently stuck her arm out to push Konoka back while she carefully surveyed the scene. Almost the whole class had ended up here, making it near impossible to even enter the room. Just like that, Setsuna came up with a plan of action. She grabbed the heiress's hand and pulled her to the area behind the villas.

"Wait, what are we doing Set-chan? We won't win if we don't get our hands on Chisame-chan's sacred panties." sighed Konoka. She was very confused about why Setsuna had dragged her away from the scene leaving them in no position to gain the object.

Setsuna smiled at her with a determined look as she reached into her pocket. "There's no way we would be able to make it in that room, grab the underwear, and then make it out without being chased down." After fishing around her pocket for a moment she brought out a familiar piece of paper. "So, my plan is to summon our good friend mini-Setsuna to retrieve it for us..."

Konoka smiled and pumped her fist in the air. "Ooooo Set-chan, that's such a good idea! Plus, I get to see the little cutie again!"

After a few short words, mini-Setsuna popped to life and flew a few short feet upward. She slowly stretched out and gave a big yawn, scratching her backside as she exhaled. She was just about to turn around and complain to Setsuna about not being brought out enough, when she suddenly felt a pair of soft arms wrap around her stomach and pull her headfirst into a waiting set of perfect breasts.

"mmmppphphhhh mmphh mph!" said mini-Setsuna, trying to gently escape from Konoka's embrace.

Konoka squealed with joy. "Nyaaaaa mini Set-chan! I've missed your cute little face so much!"

"Kono-chan...I-I think you may be killing her...with your ch-cheast..." squeaked Setsuna as she watched her mini self being glomped very intimately. She also couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

Konoka smiled and quickly let the poor mini-Setsuna go before she caused her to turn back into paper. Mini-Setsuna quickly fixed her hair and shirt before smiling back at the heiress and turning to her regular sized self for instruction. Setsuna told the mini swordswoman her plan to retrieve the panties from which ever girl came out of the door with them. She was to use her stealthy flying to sneak up on them, and then grab the object. Setsuna then instructed her mini self to evade the class at all costs and to meet at the jungle's edge ten minutes after she lost sight of the other girls.

Mini-Setsuna saluted her regular sized self. "Yes sir!" Then before leaving, she swooped back over to Konoka and planted a kiss on her cheek. "In case I don't make it back Kono-mama, I just wanted to tell you that I really like you!" Then she was off.

"Did...did she just call you...Kono-mama?..." Setsuna stared after the little swordswoman as she flew off towards the room, right eye twitching.

Konoka giggled. "Aww, she's just being cute Set-chan." She smirked and slowly turned away from her partner. "Does it bug you?"

Setsuna's face went red as she turned to face away from Konoka. She was about to stutter something out in response when the two of them heard a loud bang from the other side of the building. The swordswoman cursed to herself as she realised the only person who would do something so rash as blow up a door was Mana. Hopefully, their plan would still work despite having someone as perceptive as the assassin in control of the object. She grabbed Konoka's hand again and pulled her towards the jungle, stopping quickly along the way to grab a shell, seaweed, seaglass, and a rock. They would wait for mini-Setsuna here until she completed her mission. Setsuna watched as Konoka caught her breath and then slowly made her way down to the ground to sit while they waited.

_Of course I'm jealous Konoka... I can't tell you anything about how I really feel because of the position I hold, and here's my mini self popping up with no sense and the all the ability in the world to say it... _

After the time had passed, mini-Setsuna had arrived cheering and doing celebratory loop-de-loops in midair. She had somehow managed to trick Mana and capture the Holy Grail of panties. With another hug from Konoka and a salute with a promise of bringing her out more from her master, mini-Setsuna returned back to her paper state. While they waited, Konoka had managed to catch a bug, and found a pair of white socks in Setsuna's bag. She had also decided to take a marker to them and sign Negi's name on one. Apparently, the young teacher put his name on all of his clothes so by doing this Konoka was killing two birds with one stone.

They had made their way deeper into the jungle, hoping to steer clear of the rest of their class and try to find more of the objects. They already had eight of the fourteen needed and Setsuna figured that they must be farther ahead than everyone else was. Setsuna was feeling pretty good about their situation, and finally began to relax. She continued walking, behind Konoka now, with her arms raised and folded behind her head. She was also watching her princess swiftly glide and skip through the foliage laid out before them. There was something memorising about the way Konoka moved before her. Setsuna wasn't sure if it was the setting, or the fact that she found Konoka attractive anyway, but the chocolate haired girl was looking very beautiful and almost natural out here. She continued to smile as, at least just this one time, she freely let her thoughts about the heiress take over her mind. After a few moments of uninterrupted bliss, Setsuna heard Konoka gently call out to her. She opened her eyes and saw Konoka stopped in front of a bush, motioning for her to come over.

"Set-chan, you have to see this!" she whispered excitedly to her guardian.

Slowly, Konoka pulled back the bushes and walked through, Setsuna following close behind her. It was breath taking; laid out before them was one of the most beautiful waterfalls either of them had ever seen. The fall itself was at least thirty feet high and it fell into perfect green/blue shaded lagoon. Moving closer to it, Setsuna also saw the most of the lagoon was only about waist deep and was completely clear to the bottom. She also noticed that across from where she was, the clearing gently lead out to the beach and into the ocean. The swordswoman was still completely awestruck when she heard her name being called again.

"Set-chan, Set-chan!" Called Konoka from a rock that eventually leads into the waterfall. "Set up a picture of us with the water fall! It'll give us another object and a nice picture together of our vacation!"

Setsuna's heart gave a little thump as she heard how happy Konoka sounded to having a picture like this taken with her. She quickly reached down into her bag and grabbed a camera before running the bag over to a nearby tree. After fiddling around with some of the buttons for a few moments, Setsuna found the delay setting and started the timer. She quickly ran over to join Konoka on the rock and set herself up for the picture.

"Oh come on Set-chan." smiled Konoka. "It's a vacation... try to look more relaxed alright?"

With that, Konoka slipped both her arms around Setsuna's waist and pulled her in sideways. She then took one of Setsuna's arms and placed it around her shoulder before returning her arm back to the swordswoman's waist. Setsuna's face went bright red just as the camera flashed, catching her forever in her blushing state. Konoka couldn't help but be happy with herself.

_Sure, being seductive is fun and teasing Setsuna is one of my favourite things to do... but things like this just seem so ...right... to me. I want more of this, that's for sure..._

Konoka gently let go of Setsuna with a smile before making her way off of the rock to take a look at the picture. It was perfect and caught just enough of them with the surrounding area to look like it was professionally done. This picture would definitely give Kazumi a run for her money. Setsuna made her way over to take a look at the picture, also smiling at how nice it looked. Then, Konoka made her way over to the bag by the tree to place the camera back in. She was about to turn and walk back over to Setsuna when she felt a sudden sharp pain sear between her neck and left shoulder.

Faster than could ever be humanly possible, Setsuna summoned Yunnagi to her side and sped towards the target. With a slash, she felt her blade make contact with the perpetrator. Looking down, her face suddenly went into shock as she saw what it was that attacked Konoka. Laying in two pieces at her feet was an odd, brightly coloured snake; it must have fell from the tree branches above the beg and attacked Konoka on sight. Panicking, she quickly turned her attention to her injured princess on the ground.

"Ojou-sama! Are you alright?" her stomach turned as she saw a dark shade of red beginning to form at the bite spot. "Crap, this isn't good what do I do, what do I do?"

Konoka was beginning to feel dizzy, but was still able to think clearly. "I don't think I can use my healing magic like this Set-chan... quick, call Eva-san. Maybe her or Chachamaru will know what to do."

As fast as she could, Setsuna pulled out Konoka's phone and began to search through her contacts. Finally, she came across Evangeline's phone number and punched talk. It was agonizing listening to the ringing; of course she was just glad that the cell phone even had range out here. Suddenly, the swordswoman heard the gently click of the other end picking up.

"And what is it that you want Konoe?" answered Evangeline with an irritated sigh. "Did you call to bug me with dumb little stories of your ever so perfect vacation?"

"Well hello to you too Eva-san..." replied Setsuna in a rushed voice.

"Ohhh, Sakurazaki it's you, great." Setsuna could almost hear the rolling of Evageline's eyes on the other end. "What do you want?"

Setsuna took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. "Look, Konoka-ojou sama just got bitten by a snake out here in the jungle and is unable to use her healing magic to fix it. Basically, I'm wondering if I sent you a picture of the snake I killed, if you and Chachamaru could identify it and then possibly find out what I can do to help her."

Evangeline was about to playfully say no, but felt Chachamaru's hand coming to rest on her shoulder. "Tch, fine hurry up and send a picture to Chachamaru, it will directly go to her search files and she will able to help you..."

Quickly, Setsuna faced the camera in the phone towards the dead snake and zoomed in, making sure there was a clear picture of the colours and patterns. She took the picture and then sent it straight to Chachamaru. She kneeled back down beside Konoka and lifted the nearly unconscious girl into her arms. Holding her with her right arm, Setsuna quickly placed the phone back up to her ear with her left. She was listening for any word from Evangeline that would bring some hope. Finally after a few minutes, the swordswoman heard Chachamaru's voice in the background saying "analysis complete".

"So, what do I do?" yelled Setsuna.

"Just hold on for a moment won't you?" the dark mage breathed into the phone irritably. "Alright looking this print out over, it seems that Konoe there has a very serious bite from a rather poisonous species." She listened as Setsuna gulped and whimpered on the other end. "Pull yourself together! Now, there is one way you can save her Sakurazaki... are you sure you are willing?"

"Of course I'm willing! You know more than anyone, even Asuna-san, that I would do anything to save Ojou-sama!" replied Setsuna angrily. She was also slightly offended that Evangeline would even ask that.

"Well, I was just checking..." she mumbled. "Anyway, listen carefully. In order to stop the poison from reaching the blood stream and getting to her vital organs, it has to be removed...so, basically Sakurazaki... you need to put your mouth on the wound and suck the poison out..."

Setsuna blanked out for a second, trying to let the information she just received to sink in. "You... you want me to put my what, on where now?"

Both Evangeline and Chachamaru facepalmed. "Listen half-demon, man up, grow some proper lady balls and suck that poison out or you'll be holding onto a dead princess!" With that, Evangeline hung up the phone leaving Setsuna with some privacy.

Setsuna gulped again and stared down at Konoka's face. The chocolate haired girl still conscious, but only slightly. Then her eyes moved to the menacing looking mark at the base of Konoka's neck. With a final sigh, Setsuna slowly began to lean down, inching closer and closer to her princess's neck. She stopped just before reaching the bite mark and whispered into Konoka's ear.

"Please forgive me for my out of place actions...but I must save you, Kono-chan."

Her lips gently came down to rest on Konoka's neck around the bite mark. Slowly and very, very carefully being sure not to swallow any by accident began to suck out the poison. Little by little it came out, each time she would stop and be sure to spit out what had gathered before moving in again. She could feel Konoka slowly beginning to stir in her arms again. This made the situation a little less stressful, and allowed for Setsuna to relax a little as she felt a slowing to the amount of poison coming out. After another spit removal of a small amount, the swordswoman went back down for one last drawing to make sure that she got it all. Just as she was about to move away, she felt Konoka's hand gently grip onto her leg. She froze for a moment unsure of what to do.

"...mmmm, Set-chan..." a weak and subconscious moan escaped from Konoka's lips.

_Good sweet crap! What do I do, what do I do, what do I do...Damn it! Of all the times for my body to want to give in, this really shouldn't be one of them!_

Setsuna gently pulled away and slowly lowered Konoka's head down to rest on the bag. Then she slumped backwards and slid a few inches away from the heiress. Despite being a life or death situation, that was probably the most intimate Setsuna had ever been with Konoka since forming their pactio back in their third year. She had to admit that it was rather enjoyable, and of course it sent the desires inside her burning at full heat. It took her a few moments, but the swordswoman was finally able to calm herself down with meditation. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Konoka had regained full consciousness and was starting to look better. Setsuna smiled as the last bit of hormone induced images left her mind.

"Well, that was a close one..." whispered Konoka. "I think I'll be able to use my magic now to patch the rest up. I'm glad you were here to save me Set-chan...Thank you..."

Setsuna blushed a little but sent another smile her way. "It was no problem ojou...Kono-chan..."

She watched as Konoka touched her neck and slowly began to recite healing spells. The words coming from her mouth flowed out in a rhythmic fashion, each phrase seeming complicated but coming easily to Konoka. Setsuna was very impressed with how far her princess had come over the last few years with her magical studies and couldn't help but feel proud of her. When Konoka finished, she stood up and brushed herself off and Setsuna did the same. Suddenly she giggled to herself as she looked down at the snake that had attacked her.

"Well, at least we have another item!" said Konoka. "The little guy looks like he was just about to get rid of some skin." She bent down and picked up the loose skin hanging off of the snake, placing it into a container the bag.

"Great, now let's get going back to the resort." replied Setsuna. "We still have a few more things to get, if you're still up for it..."

Konoka nodded and both of them started to head towards the beach through the clearing. A thought popped into her head as Konoka remembered something she had watched once on the Discovery channel about snake bites. "You acted pretty fast back there Set-chan... how exactly did you get the poison out to quickly?"

Setsuna nearly tripped over her own foot at the question and began to flail her arms around trying to think of something to say. All Konoka could do was laugh at how awkward the swordswoman looked and how much she was trying to hide her blush.

/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*

The next stop for Konoka and Setsuna was the resort's bar. They had managed to grab some ocean water in a zip-lock bag and were now only left with a few more items. On their way back, they had passed by a few groups of their classmates heading out to the jungle, probably looking for their last few items as well. Thanks to mini-Setsuna, nobody knew that they possessed Chisame's panties and ended up making it to the bar without any interference. Now, Konoka was racing around the room in search of a shot glass.

"Set-chan, normally I would be happy to take the shot for us." Konoka began. "But since I just got bitten by that snake, even though I used my powers, it's probably a good idea for you to take it."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense Kono-chan..." answered Setsuna with a sigh. As a trained and finely tuned bodyguard and sword master, Setsuna tried her hardest to keep a clear mind and stay away from alcohol.

After nearly tearing the place apart, Konoka came running over to the bar where Setsuna had perched herself waiting to get this part over with. Konoka slammed down the glass and grabbed the nearest alcohol that she could find. She quickly unscrewed the top and began to dump the gold coloured liquid into it. As Setsuna watched the glass fill she couldn't help but feel like something was wrong with it.

"Uhhh, first Kono-chan...what exactly is that in the glass?" she asked, still eyeing it questioningly.

Konoka glanced at the bottle and read the label. "Apparently it's Tequila. Wooo and it smells pretty strong."

Setsuna cringed. "Ok... second question. That glass seems a little large to be a shot glass. Are you certain that you grabbed the right one?"

Konoka nodded as she added a little more tequila to the glass. "Yep, it's not really that big Set-chan. You're just being paranoid. Now here, drink up!"

Setsuna coughed as Konoka quickly forced the glass to her lips and tipped it back. The swordswoman quickly took a gulp, trying very hard not to taste the liquid. Then there was another gulp, followed by another, and another. It occurred to Setsuna that shots where only supposed to be taken in one go. When the last bit was drained, Setsuna leaned back on the bar coughing as she felt the last little bit of tequila in her mouth pass. Then she heard a little "opps" come from Konoka.

"Ehheh... I think that you were right about the glass size..." whimpered Konoka.

Setsuna's head was spinning as she was told that instead of taking a shot, she had just downed a full to the brim high ball glass of Tequila. "Oh gods..."

Konoka came back with a smaller glass now and a lime wedge. "Here, take this last one and then bite down on this lime. It'll go down better and we can get the peel for our list...I'm so sorry Set-chan..."

"It's ok Kono-chan..." Setsuna took the shot and put the lime in her mouth. Her face tensed up as she felt the sour liquid burst through it. At the same time there was a click of a camera.

"You did have the perfect face for an embarrassing picture..." Konoka smiled weakly, feeling horrible for putting her guardian through this.

Setsuna waved it off and smiled at her princess; she was just happy to be of service. Since they now had all the objects they needed, Setsuna and Konoka decided it was now time to head back to the starting line and wait for Ayaka. The swordswoman began to get up when she suddenly felt a rush to her head. Setsuna Sakurazaki was many things from an expert at the sword to most loyal of friends; however, she was not someone who could hold her liquor. Considering that she pretty much downed an entire pint in less than a minute, she was moving pretty well. However, once they reached the door Setsuna began to stumble a little. Konoka Rushed to her side and put the swordswoman's arm over her shoulder, helping her to steady. They had made their way slowly to the start line and stood to wait for the others to show up. After a few moments, Setsuna's drunk took over and she began to talk.

"You know wha hono-chan? I don care wha any-hic...anybody says bout that Chamo dude back home... I likes him, buddy got... buddy gots some realz spunk!" she lowered her head after the last words.

_Oh gods! I accidently killed Set-chan!..._

Luckily, she could hear the laboured breathing coming from her incapacitated guardian. She took a deep breath and started cursing at herself for being so dumb to think that the first glass was a shot glass. Eventually, the rest of the class joined them and everyone turned out their lists and objects.

"Hey what's wrong with Setsuna-san?" asked Kazumi, pulling out a notepad.

"Uhh...we sort of had an accident in the bar and she ended up drinking a pint instead of a shot in under a minute..." answered Konoka as she tried to lift Setsuna's head up. She was greeted by a groan.

"Oh my Gods! You killed Sakurazaki!" yelled Makie

"You bastard!" replied Yuna with a laugh.

"Girls, this is no time for quoting cartoons from the comedy channel..." said Ayaka as she looked from Setsuna to the objects on the ground around her.

Apparently out of all the groups who had participated in the event, only two were actually able to complete the list; Konoka's group and Ayaka's group. It was all down to a tie until the class suddenly caught sight of a certain pair of panties lying on the ground next to Setsuna's bag.

"Y-you!" cried Chisame. "I'll kill you even more Setsuna-san!"

"So we all agree that team KonoSetsu wins yes?" asked Ayaka, winking towards Konaka who smiled back at her. There was a thunderous yes from the rest of the class.

"We won Honoka-chan! Wooooooooohoooo!" yelled Setsuna, randomly coming to life and pumping her fist into the air. "Maaaan, we're soooo good... and you're so goooood! Com'er a minutes..."

Out of nowhere, Setsuna grabbed a hold of Konoka's face and pulled her in for a drunken kiss. The whole glass gasped and Asuna's eyes popped out of her head as she watched Konoka burst with happiness. Unfortunately, the kiss ended just as abruptly as it started and Setsuna began to sway from side to side.

"Ohhhh nos...here comes the grounds!" mumbled Setsuna as she finally passed out face down in the sand.


	5. Storm's A Brewin Metaphorically Too

**Storms' A Brewin'... Metaphorically Too...**

"_Konoka... you have no idea how long I've wanted you." breathed Setsuna as her lips slowly made their way down Konoka's jaw line until they stopped to rest on her neck. She carefully bit down at the base, using her tongue to sooth the now sensitive area. A smile spread across her face as she felt the girl underneath of her tense up and dig her hands further into the swordswoman's raven hair._

"_...Mmmhaa... Set-chan... ple-please don't stop..." the words came out of Konoka in struggling gasps. "I-huuuuuh... I need you insi-mmmmmhhhh..."_

_ Setsuna had cut off Konoka by ripping open her shirt and quickly pushing her left hand under the lacy bra her princess was wearing. She hungrily brought her mouth back up to an eagerly awaiting Konoka's. As her tongue twisted and turned in heated battle with the heiress's, Setsuna's hand and fingers were matching it in every movement over the pert nipple, as if in sync. Moans were now pushing their way through the busy lip barrier as Setsuna felt Konoka arching up underneath of her. Slowly, the swordswoman could feel Konoka's legs opening wider as the heiress reached down from her hair to unbutton then kick off her shorts. _

_ The heated swordswoman felt her fiery heart jump to her throat as she suddenly felt Konoka's hand take her free right one into it. She felt her hand being smoothed out flat on Konoka's slender stomach, before being slowly dragged downwards. Inching ever closer...now at the bellybutton...getting ever closer...just sliding under the lacy panties now... Setsuna now felt Konoka's hand slide down to her fingers just as she felt a hot wetness and heard a sharp gasp..._

"Hey, Hey Setsuna you baka!" yelled Asuna as she shook her friend awake. "Wake up already, you're talking in your sleep!"

Setsuna's eyes flashed open in terror and looked down to see that she was lying on top of a pillow in a very questionable position. She threw the pillow to the side and sat bolt upright; instantly regretting it when she saw black spots forming in her vision and her stomach turn. "What!...b-but...I was...wait no, no I wasn't...GAH, my head is killing me!"

Asuna laughed as she hoped up on the bed beside her bright red and flustered friend. "Calm down Setsuna, geeze... Everyone has those types of dreams. Besides, Konoka left before she could hear anything to get you some water and food."

"But... you still heard everything..." the swordswoman mumbled, not really intending it to be picked up by Asuna.

It was now dinner time and Setsuna had been unconscious for the better part of the day. She was the stiffest she had ever felt in her life, and was not enjoying the left over taste of the deadly tequila she had downed during the scavenger hunt earlier. She stretched out uncomfortably and made her way to the bath room to detoxify her mouth with a good brushing and every last ounce of mouthwash she could find.

_There can't possibly be anybody who drinks that stuff for fun..._

After making sure her mouth was so minty fresh that her breath could freeze anything it touched, Setsuna made her way back to sit on the bed next to Asuna. "My head is still pounding Asuna-san. I didn't hit it on anything when I passed out did I?"

"No you didn't...wait you don't remember?" asked Asuna as the events just prior to her friend's collapse flew to the front of her thoughts; Setsuna kissing Konoka in particular.

Setsuna thought back for a moment, trying her best to remember. "No... The last thing I remember is stumbling out of the bar with Kono-chan... Why? I didn't do anything stupid did I?" She turned her head to face Asuna, worry spreading over her features.

Asuna mentally facepalmed, but was quick to regain her composure before answering her friend with a smile. "No Setsuna, you were fine... just had a little too much too fast is all."

There was something odd with Asuna's response that didn't sit well with the perceptive swordswoman. She knew something was up, but decided to find out on her own instead of asking her best friend what it was; hopefully it wasn't anything to horrible. For now she shrugged it off and decided to think on it more later on. She lay further down into her pillow, awaiting the return of Konoka and trying to keep herself from getting sick. Asuna had come to the realization that she would now need to do damage control and make sure no one brought up the kiss to Setsuna, as she would probably spontaneously combust. She excused herself from the room, saying that she was going to grab a sweater for the bonfire before stepping out the door.

As soon as she stepped outside, the orange haired girl saw Konoka come skipping up the boardwalk with a bag of things in hand and a giant smile on her face. Asuna panicked as she ran to her. "Konoka we need to talk!"

The heiress came to a stop, smile fading as concern came to replace it. "Ok, but hurry because I wanna talk to Set-chan about our kiss earlier!"

"NO! You can't Konoka!" she yelled in reply.

Konoka pouted and nudged her toe at the ground. "Awwwww, how come?" she was becoming sadder by the minute.

Asuna looked at her and sighed, trying to tell her closest friend in the best way possible. "...Well, she doesn't exactly...remember doing it..."

Konoka's heart fell; she had figured this would be the case considering the reason as to why the kiss happened in the first place but had hoped otherwise. "I guess it would probably completely throw her off and send her back into the shadows if she found out then?"

"Seems about right...I'm so sorry Konoka, I knew how happy you were..." began Asuna as she gave her friend a hug. "But if you ever really wanna get anywhere with Setsuna, it's for the best..."

Feeling deflated, Konoka nodded her head in agreement and hugged Asuna back. Just as she thought that she was taking a firm step forward with her plan to win Setsuna over and get her to confess her true feelings, it turned out that she was actually closer to where she was before the trip even began. The heiress was starting to feel like nothing she could do would ever end up with the result she wanted, when she heard a voice in the back of her head egg her on. She couldn't just give up on Setsuna now, she wanted this too much. A new found air of confidence rushed over her and now, Konoka stood next to Asuna with determination radiating off of her.

"Good to see that you're still in the game Konoka!" replied Asuna as she bumped fists with her friend. "I'm gonna go pay a little visit to the rest of the class...make sure they know to keep things unmentioned..." She gave her friend a final squeeze before heading off down the boardwalk.

Konoka took a deep breath and straightened out her clothes before continuing her way back to Setsuna's room. She had managed to grab her guardian some heavier foods and the largest bottle of water she could find in order to help along the hangover process. She was also considering using some healing spells to see if that worked; but hangovers, despite feeling like your body is being ripped apart by an enemy, were not physical wounds. She hoped that she could do something for Setsuna, especially since the girl did give her a small taste of what she so longed for.

Konoka turned the handle to Setsuna's room and pushed the door in with her hip. After closing the door, she turned and smiled as she was greeted with a matching yet tired looking one from the bed. "Good to see that you're finally up and somewhat ok Set-chan."

Setsuna slowly swung her body around and let her feet fall to the floor beside the bed. Her smile faded slightly as she remembered her drunken state and what sort of impression she may have left with her princess. "I-I'm sorry Konoka Ojou sama... for the way that I had acted earlier... it was very un-professional of me and you could have been placed in danger." She paused for a moment before glancing down at her feet. "I would never have forgiven myself if anything would have happened to you..."

Konoka came over to the bed and sat next to her, being sure to playfully nuzzle into the swordswoman's arm. "Silly Set-chan, always having to worry about someone like me." she rested her chin on Setsuna's arm and made a pouty face. "It was my fault that you were like that in the first place...I mean really, leave it to dumb little Konoka to mix up what a shot glass looks like."

"You aren't dumb Kono-chan...please don't say that about yourself." replied Setsuna as she slightly blushed and forced a serious look towards the heiress. "It was just a mistake...no harm done, really."

Konoka began to smile again as she saw the sincerity in the look Setsuna was giving her. The swordswoman was the only person, aside from her family, who didn't make fun of or point out her less intelligent moments. She was always there for her, comforting her and doing the best she could to keep Konoka on track. It was little moments like this that truly made Konoka realize just how much Setsuna meant to her, and how much she really loved her. A warmth began to pulse through her as she watched her hung over companion smile one of her classic Sakurazaki smiles and scratch the back of her head. This was what Konoka was determined to have; this is what she was going to give her all for.

"By the way, Kono-chan... did we end up wining the scavenger hunt?" asked Setsuna with a questioning look. "I sort of...can't remember anything..."

Konoka giggled and playfully pushed Setsuna away from her before standing up again. "Actually, we did! It all came down to Chisame's panties that mini-Setsuna got for us. I really should give her a special thank you for that..."

Setsuna gulped and carefully contemplated if she really wanted to know the answer to her next question. Carefully concentrating on locking her wondering thoughts away and mentally closing up any passageway for blood to her nose, the swordswoman decided to ask. "...What exactly did we get...for winning..."

The heiress turned away from Setsuna and decided to look out the window. For the first time since reading the call for racy panties on the scavenger hunt list, an evil smile began to spread across Konoka's lips. She was definitely ready to get the seduction train rolling again. "It's a really cool prize Set-chan, Ayaka picked it out personally." She slowly turned back around, being sure to slide one of her hands to her hip and shake out her hair. "When we get back home from the trip, the two of us get to have an all expenses paid and very private day for two at her family's spa... just think Set-chan, a whole day of relaxing in towels giving each other massages..."

There was a loud thump as the swordswoman momentarily lost consciousness and fell backwards onto the bed. She brought her hand up to cover her eyes, thinking that was going to block out the images of a nearly naked Konoka leaning over her, feeling up her body in a private spa room.

_For the love of all things!...The world hates me, it really, really does...gods damn it! And gods damn it for making Kono-chan so damn sexy...it's not far!, Did I do something to piss them off? Do they think it's amusing or something to dangle this hot, ridiculously attractive looking girl in front of me? Am I being played with? Gahhhhhh!_

Konoka giggled as she watched Setsuna curling up into a ball on the bed, clearly fighting with herself. The heiress, again pretending to play it up, walked back over to Setsuna. "Oh no Set-chan, your hang over must be kicking in again. Here, let me try to see if some spells will work that out for you."

She placed her hands down on the still balled up swordswoman and smiled at her when she looked up. After clearing her throat, Konoka began to recite the almost lyrical words of a spell while Setsuna slowly began to relax and let the magic take over.

/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/

"Makie! Will you stop flinging that thing around!" yelled Chisame.

"But my marshmallow's on fire and it needs to be blown out!" she replied.

"Please, calm down Makie-san and hand it over to me." sighed Negi with a smile. The excitable pink haired girl quickly ran over to her young teacher and shoved the blazing inferno of a camp snack in his direction.

The healing magic Konoka had used on Setsuna earlier seemed to have worked without a hitch. The swordswoman was back up and in perfect fighting condition within mere moments. Now, the half demon and healing mage were sitting on a log on the beach, around a gigantic fire made earlier by Asuna and Negi. Aside from some rather dark and ominous clouds forming far off over the ocean, the night was otherwise perfect. The temperature dropped slightly allowing it to be cool enough for long sleeves or a nice sweater and of course, most of the girls were huddled up under some blankets. After being shown how to make smores by Negi, Konoka dove into a bag of marshmallows and began to sculpt some together.

"Here Set-chan, you gotta try this!" said Konoka after taking a bite out of her first attempt. "It's sooooooooo good!"

Before Setsuna had a chance to decline, the heiress gently pushed the treat into her mouth. The swordswoman then politely took it into her own hands and bit down. "Wow...that is pretty good Kono-chan." She said after swallowing and handing the smore back to Konoka.

"Geeze Set-chan you're so messy..." Konoka had noticed that some of the chocolate had melted and dripped its way down onto Setsuna's finger. Making sure the other girls were wrapped up in what they were doing, the heiress quickly took Setsuna's finger and placed it in her mouth.

"K-Kono-chan, what are you..." as soon as Setsuna's finger felt soft lips press around it and a gentle tongue working at the chocolate, her mind went blank. Slowly, the dream she had while passed out began to seep its way back to her vision. She quickly looked away and shut her eyes, muttering threats to herself in order to force her brain to refocus. Just as she was about to turn back around and gently take her hand back, she heard a scream.

"ASUNA YOU DUMB JERK!" yelled a now steaming and very angry Ayaka. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!"

From what Setsuna and Konoka could see from where they were sitting, Ayaka now seemed to have a melted marshmallow stuck in the bottom bits of her hair. Asuna had apparently been pulling a Makie, and "accidently" got her marshmallow lodge into the perfect blonde locks. She was attempting her best to apologize, but the class rep just wasn't hearing it. Ayaka turned on a dime and began heading off towards the resort, yelling something about having to wash it out before it had a chance to set.

Asuna sat down in a heap next to Setsuna and Konoka, sighing and brushing her bangs back over her forehead as she did. "Well, that's just awesome..."

Konoka giggled and watched as her friend kicked at some sand. "Oh come on Asuna, it was just an accident. I'm sure Ayaka-san will be just fine."

Setsuna on the other hand, was watching her orange haired friend very carefully. Despite Asuna looking upset about the accident, Setsuna couldn't help but feel like she had something up her sleeve. "I agree with Kono-chan, I'm sure Ayaka-san will be perfectly fine after she washes it out."

"I guess you two are right..." she quickly jumped up and gave them both one of her trademark thumbs up. "I think I'll go check on her...maybe try and apologize again. Setsuna, make sure you keep an eye on Konoka...that bag of marshmallows won't stand a chance with her around."

Konoka stuck her tongue out and Setsuna rolled her eyes. With a final smirk and a wink for the two of them, Asuna was off in the same direction the class rep had gone. Once Asuna was out of sight, Konoka burst out laughing causing Setsuna to look at her with a puzzled expression.

"I guess I won't be seeing Asuna back in our room tonight..." laughed Konoka as she whipped a tear away from the corner of her eye.

At first Setsuna wasn't sure what the heiress was talking about. After thinking about it for a few seconds, it dawned on her that Asuna's plan was in full swing and that her earlier feeling was right. "There's no way that's actually going to work..." she whispered to herself.

Setsuna shook her head and joined in laughing with Konoka. This trip was definitely turning out to be more interesting than had been expected. They both dug into the marshmallows and continued on with the bonfire. The class was now beginning to go around telling stories, mostly about random things and only a few had decided to attempt a ghost story. After one particularly awkward attempt from Haruna, complete with illustration to go along with her tale of "Forbidden Love", Setsuna got up and stretched out. She had decided that now was as good a time as any to head out and replace her magical barriers. The swordswoman was just about to leave when she felt a soft hand grab hers.

"Where are you off too Set-chan?" asked Konoka with a sad little pout.

Setsuna smiled and put her hand on top of Konoka's, showing her not to worry. "I'm just gonna go replace the barriers before it gets too late. It won't take too long, I promise."

The heiress put her things down and began to stand up. "Well then, maybe I should come with you."

Not wanting to risk another incident like the one at the waterfall earlier, Setsuna politely shook her head and gently set Konoka back down on her seat. "No it's ok Kono-chan, it really won't take me too long. Besides, I don't want to take you away from the smores and stories. I'll run and be back before you know it." She watched as the heiress's face slightly fell. "And I promise to be careful."

With a final look from the heiress, Setsuna made her way back towards the resort. She was hoping that it wouldn't take her too long to replace the barriers by herself, as last time she had Asuna help her. Once away and out of sight from the rest of the class, the swordswoman took her shirt off and allowed her wings to spread out. She could fly to most of the spots, at least cutting down some of the time, plus it was a good excuse to stretch out her wings for the first time in a long while. Soaring through the air at top speed, the half demon felt all the troubles and frustrations leave her body. Django may be fast, but nothing made her feel the way she did when she was in the sky. After doing a few quick dives and tricks, Setsuna made her way to the first barrier.

Ten minutes later, Setsuna was standing at the base of the tree where the second to last barrier was in place. She took out a piece of paper from her pocket, muttered a few incantations and then placed it over top of the old one. She sighed as she remembered the conversation she had in this same spot last night with Asuna about what love was, ultimately leading to confessing her true feelings towards Konoka to her best friend. At the time it was easy, the words just came so naturally to her. The swordswoman rubbed her temple as she re-told herself the vast array of reasons for not telling her princess she loved her, and that they were good ones. To her, it just wasn't meant to be.

_Konoka Ojou sama deserves better...even if anything were to happen between us, there is no future for it. Stay strong and remember that I'm perfectly...happy... just being by her side. That's all I can afford..._

She was slowly walking towards her final barrier destination, trying her best to rid herself of the depressed feelings she developed after her last thought. Setsuna thought that maybe taking some more time and going out over the ocean for another flight would make her feel better. She decided that once she was finished, she would head out to the other side of the island and pull some stunts before making her way back to Konoka.

As she reached the last barrier, she performed the same incantation she'd done earlier and again placed it over the old one. Setsuna was just about to turn and leave when she heard noise coming somewhere in the dark from her left. The swordswoman crouched down, trying to make herself as invisible as possible before slowly and quietly making her way towards the noise. As she got closer, Setsuna began to hear what sounded like strained voices growing slightly louder. She came to a stop behind a bush that was the last line of defence between her and whoever was causing the disturbance. The swordswoman reached into her back pocket, fingers closing around her pactio card. She separated the bush slowly and began to poke her head through.

"Ade-... Oh, you gotta be kidding me!" her eyes grew wide and an embarrassed blush formed on her face as she took in the sight before her.

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Asuna quickly made her way up the boardwalk and in the direction of Ayaka's room. Once she had seen Makie fling around her burning marshmallow, she had come up with an idea to get some alone time with the class rep. Sure, she may have went a little far by getting it in Ayaka's hair as opposed to on her shirt, but now she was guaranteed to have a fiery and irritated class rep waiting for her. As she rounded the corner of the boardwalk, Asuna couldn't help but smirk to herself. If everything went according to plan, she would be getting to know her oldest friend a lot better, and more intimately than she ever had before.

The door to Ayaka's room was unlocked, so Asuna made her way inside without waiting for permission to do so. Looking around the room, she noticed that the class rep was nowhere to be found. She made her way over to the bathroom and saw that Ayaka wasn't there either. Growing more and more annoyed that the blonde couldn't be found anywhere, Asuna sat on the bed with a huff. Her eyes began to scan the room for any sign as to where the class rep could have run off to. Suddenly, they fell on the closet where she noticed that the complimentary bath robe every room had was missing. Quickly getting up, Asuna ran out the door in the direction of the bath hall.

Ayaka was standing under one of the shower heads, small comb in hand, trying ever so gently to remove the sugary demon from her long blonde hair. She was still relatively pissed off at the orange haired monkey girl for messing it up in the first place, but soon found herself becoming less and less able to hold onto that anger. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stay mad at the girl she shared that intense few moments with back out in the jungle. Ayaka sighed as the last bit marshmallow finally came loose from her hair. Despite wanting to head back out to the fire, the warm water felt relaxing and inviting on her skin. She tilted her face upwards and allowed the water to freely stream over her face, down her neck, and then make its final slid off of the curves of her body. She was just about to turn off the taps when she heard the door to shower room open and Asuna call out for her. She slammed the water off and quickly wrapped a towel around herself.

_Even though I'm not mad at her anymore...and we're alone in here...I'm not going to give Asuna the satisfaction of an easy pick up. If she wants it, she's going to have to work for it..._

Asuna entered into the group showers and skidded across the semi wet floor to a halt. She gulped as she saw a rather angry looking, half naked blonde staring back at her. "H-hey Ayaka-chan...I uh, was looking all over for you..." she watched as the class rep's eyes narrowed. "I was coming to apologize to you...I-I really am sorry for messing up your hair..."

Ayaka watched with pleasure as the girl before her began to fidget uncomfortably, noticing that Asuna was trying very hard to keep her eyes off of her at this point. "I can't believe that, after all of these years, you still manage to pull off stupid things like this Asuna-chan...it actually boggles my mind as to why you continue to do such things."

Asuna thought the question over for a moment. She could either lie and just try to keep apologizing to Ayaka, hoping something would come from it; or she could come completely clean with her and tell the class rep all about her plan and how their fights turned her on more than anything else in the world could. Sighing, she decided that now was as good a time as any to come clean with herself. Hopefully, Ayaka would understand and it wouldn't ruin anything to much between them.

"Look Ayaka-chan, there's something I really need to tell you." she began as she slowly made her way towards the blonde. "...For a long time now, I've sorta had these feelings for you. I don't know how they came around, but they're there and if earlier today in the jungle was any sort of indicator... I really, really want you bad. The fights that we've been having, especially over the last few months...they've all been driving me crazy." she stopped a few inches away from the surprised Ayaka and picked up her hand, playing gently with her fingers as she continued. "...Before coming on this trip, I came up with this plan to try and hook up with you. I'll admit that doing all of this wasn't exactly the best thought out thing I've ever done but, it seemed like a good idea at the time. However, I think that there might possibly be something more there than just the need to sleep with you..."

Ayaka was stunned; she definitely wasn't expecting something like this to come from the usually not-too-good-with-words Asuna. She watched as the girl, just inches from her, continued to play with her fingers. She couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride come over her when she looked at Asuna's face. Ayaka lifted her free hand to gently hold Asuna's between both of hers. Surprised, Asuna looked up and caught her eyes staring directly into the class rep's. For a moment there was silence, then Ayaka quietly giggled.

"So, you're telling me that you, Asuna Kagurazaka...most stubborn girl in the whole class..." began the class rep. "Actually has a thing for me?" She watched as Asuna nodded her head in agreement. "And... you're also telling me that all these stupid little fights of ours have basically been fore play for you..."

She watched as, yet again Asuna nodded, this time a blush appearing over her features. Ayaka smiled as she leaned in and whisper into the orange haired girl's ear. "It's about time you finally told me...Asuna... I've been feeling the same way." she heard a gulping noise coming from a few inches beside her. "...I think it's about time I finally let you win one...don't you think?"

With that, Ayaka pressed her lips against the spot just below Asuna's ear, causing the girl in question to gasp and shudder at the sudden touch. Without another word, Asuna grabbed the blonde bombshell around her waist and pulled her in hard against her, smashing her lips on the class rep's as she did so. At the same time, Ayaka found her own hands quickly grasping at the bottom of Asuna's shirt in a desperate attempt to remove it as fast as possible. As the shirt flew over Asuna's head, she began to move Ayaka back until she was pressed up between her and the tiled wall. The class rep now managed to tear off Asuna's shorts and was longing to feel her skin pressed up against the warrior's. Without even needing to ask, the orange haired girl grabbed the top of the towel wrapped tightly around Ayaka's body and ripped it off. Tongues running wild together as hot lips forced themselves upon one another, the two girls began to feel greedy.

Ayaka bit down on her lip as she felt Asuna make her way across her jaw line and over to her ear, biting it and slowly licking its outer rim. One of her hands became tangled up in the now loose orange hair as her free one undid Asuna's bra and then moved down to help remove her panties. There was another gasp and moan of pleasure as Asuna moved from Ayaka's ear and found her mouth now playing with one of the class rep's nipples. Asuna could feel the heat and want rising between the two of them as their bodies continued to writhe together against the wall. Just as she began to move her hand between Ayaka's legs, she felt two hands gently pulling her face upwards.

"You know...there's a really nice open air bath outside..." breathed Ayaka as she looked at Asuna with fire glowing in her eyes. "Might be nice to check it out..."

Asuna gave Ayaka another long and deep kiss before she swung her, with very little effort, over her shoulder. Ayaka gave a playful scream and pretended to fight back, gently beating her fists into Asuna's upper back. They were outside quickly and Asuna found herself standing at the edge of the bath. With a laugh and a playful smack to Ayaka's fully exposed ass, the orange haired girl gently tossed the unsuspecting blonde into the water. She continued to laugh as she watched Ayaka surface and stare up at her with pissed, yet still seductive eyes. Before Ayaka could say anything, Asuna jumped in and landed right beside her. The two laughed together as the distance between them again became non-existent and Ayaka found her back pressed up against the edge of the bath.

The battle of the tongues fiercely picked up again as Asuna reached down and pulled up both of Ayaka's legs and wrapped them around her waist. She herself gave a moan as she felt Ayaka's teeth bite down on her lip before gently pulling her mouth back in again. One of Asuna's hands began making its way up along the class rep's thigh before swinging down to grab onto her ass. She smirked as she felt the blonde grab onto the back of her neck. Now came the moment she had been waiting for to happen for the past few months. Asuna slowly took her free hand and trailed it up along the side of Ayaka's thigh, moving back just enough to create space. She felt nails dig into her shoulder blade at the same time she felt her own fingers brush past Ayaka's opening and slowly push inside her.

Ayaka's head tilted slightly backwards as she let out a deep gasp of pleasure. She could feel the muscles all throughout Asuna's body shift and tighten as her body continued to press up against hers and Asuna's two fingers massage deeper inside her. The class rep began to breathe out the orange haired girl's name as she desperately tried to hold onto her. Asuna again brought her mouth to the blonde's nipple and rolled it over again and again under her tongue. Both girls were beginning to breathe in sporadic and heavy fits. Feeling that she was nearing the end, Ayaka pulled Asuna back up to meet her mouth. Soon after, her body started to go into a fit of spasms as she gasped and breathed onto Asuna's lip. Asuna's hand finally stopped as she smirked into Ayaka's final gasp, and gently pressed a kiss onto her bottom lip.

"I think it's safe to say that that beats any fight we've ever had..." said Asuna, still smirking to herself as she watched the girl pressed up against her try to recover.

"I also...think it's safe to say that...you are a poor winner..." replied Ayaka with a still seductive smile between breaths. "I think that someone needs to take that smile from your face..."

Ayaka playfully pushed Asuna away from her and slowly made her way out of the bath, motioning for her to follow. Without another word, the orange haired warrior followed Ayaka back to the showers, where they both grabbed a towel before heading off down the boardwalk to Ayaka's room.

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Setsuna had quickly turned away after getting an eyeful of her best friend getting it on with their class rep. She was still at a loss for words as she trudged back through the outskirts of the jungle, slowly making her way back to the bonfire. The swordswoman couldn't believe that Asuna's half baked plan had actually worked and that her best friend had finally gotten what she had been wanting for so long. Setsuna was smiling now, thinking about how excited and happy Asuna must be feeling; but at the same time felt a twinge of jealousy eating away at her good feelings. The swordswoman couldn't help but think that she could be just as happy if she just threw all better judgement out the window and confessed to Konoka. Rationality forcing it's way front and center, Setsuna once again pushed the thought away and continued her walk back to the beach.

"...Some people say, that on nights just like this one... you can still hear the haunting cries of the poor girl along the coastline..." said Zazie as she was finishing up her frightening tale to the rest of the class.

Setsuna sat down next to Konoka and instantly felt the heiress wrap both her arms around her own, hiding her face in the process. "Hey, what's going on? Are you alright Kono-chan?"

"Zazie-san is just finishing up one of the scariest ghost stories I've ever heard..." replied Konoka in a weak whisper.

"...In fact, the half face girl can even be seen standing on the shoreline..." Zazie slowly began to rise and point her finger towards the water. "...Oh look, there she is now..."

The entire class flung their heads around in unison to look at where Zazie was pointing to. At the same time there was a loud roll of thunder followed by a streaking crash of bright lightning that light up the silhouette of a creepy looking figure standing by the water. Every single one of the girls screamed in terror as they watched the figure begin to walk towards them. It was inching its way ever closer, everyone moving back up against Zazie. Konoka grabbed hold of Setsuna and whimpered for her to save her as the figure stopped just short of them.

"Wooooo, give me back my face! Give me back my...ahahahahaha, I can't do it Zazie-san. This is just too much, look at them!" Yuna's head popped up from under the dark blanket she used to disguise herself as a ghost for Zazie's story. The rest of the class just stared at her, those with pactio cards at the ready.

"Yuna you jerk!" cried Ako.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Chisame.

"I think Nodoka-chan may be dead..." called Yue.

As the class began to relax and realise that they were no longer in any danger, most of them began to laugh. Even Konoka slowly began to let go of Setsuna's arm, which had now almost lost all blood flow thanks to the grip she had had on it. Setsuna smiled as she looked down at her still cowering princess, offering her arm back to her for comfort. She gladly accepted and was about to wrap herself around it again when another loud crash followed by more lightning flashed out across the sky. Rain began to pour down causing the girls to shriek as the cool water soaked them to the bone. Everyone quickly picked up their things and then made a run for it back to their rooms. Setsuna threw her sweater over top of Konoka's head and quickly escorted her back to her room.

Setsuna shoved the door open and held it for Konoka to slide past her and make it safe and dry into her room. "Whew...didn't expect for a downpour like that. At least I got you back to your room safe." She turned around and began to head out. "Goodnight Kono-chan, I'll see you tomorrow..."

Konoka yelped as another roar of thunder and crash of lightning tore through the sky. She quickly latched back onto the swordswoman's arm and looked up to her eyes. "S-Set-chan...Could you please s-stay with me? Asuna won't be back, and after Zazie-san's story and the storm...I...I'm really scared..."

Setsuna felt her heart almost burst open as the grown up Konoka before her seemed to revert back to the little princess she was when they had first met. All those times she herself had to come to the rescue of the frightened little girl played back in her memory. With a smile and gentle pat on Konaka's head, Setsuna sighed. "I will be happy to stay and insure your safety Kono-chan. Nothing will harm you while I'm here..."

Konoka's face light up and a smile beamed from her. She was overjoyed that her guardian had chose to stay without any second thoughts and would be here alone with her for the night. She began scheming new ways to try and seduce Setsuna while she was hers for the night, but her thoughts were quickly interrupted by more thunder and lightning. She quickly jumped to her bed and flung herself under the covers. The irritated heiress cursed at herself for still being such a baby when it came to things like this and tried her best to calm herself down. Suddenly, she felt a hand resting on her shoulder from the other side of the covers. She slowly poked her head out and, blushing, looked up to see a concerned yet caring look from her raven haired companion.

"Kono-chan...it's ok to be scared." Setsuna said with a smile. "Go get ready for bed and I'll wait right here for you, ok?"

"Ok Set-chan..." she slowly made her way out from beneath the covers and over to the bathroom door. She paused just before going in. "Thanks Set-chan... for everything..."

After watching a semi flustered smile accompanied by a head scratch from Setsuna, Konoka went into the bathroom and locked the door. It may be stormy and she may still be extremely scared and creeped out from the images she made up due to Zazie's story, but Konoka decided that she was still on a mission. She quickly made her way through every single hygiene product she could find. After brushing, mouthwash applying, deodorant touch up, hair combing and a light spray of her favourite vanilla scented body spray misted onto her chest and stomach, Konoka was ready. It had taken her some time, but at least now she felt like she was in perfect glommping condition. She took a deep breath and slowly turned the handle of the door, pushing it open and stepping back out into the room. To her surprise, the sight before her was something completely unexpected. Her bed had one side of its covers turned down and her pillow looked to be freshly puffed up and waiting for her. What caught Konoka's attention after noticing the new set up was the passed out, asleep on her back half demon lying right next to it.

Konoka sighed, but couldn't help smiling as she took in the sight of her unconscious protector. "Geeze Set-chan...you still somehow manage to pass out even though you've pretty much been asleep all day." She laughed as she sat down gently on the bed next to her. She leaned over and gently whispered into Setsuna's ear. "I guess I'll just have to try and win your love another time."

With that, Konoka gently pressed her lips to the swordswoman's forehead before sliding underneath the covers. She rested her head on Setsuna's shoulder and snuggled into her for the night, feeling safe and protected from anything that would even dare come up against them. As she began to lose consciousness, images of Setsuna flooded dreamily through the heiress's thoughts. She fell asleep smiling, arm loosely draped over Setsuna's waist.

A few hours later, Setsuna slowly began to wake as the sound of the pouring rain seemed to have intensified. She quickly glanced over to the door and windows to ensure that they were still in one piece, and that they were in no clear or present danger. Suddenly, she realised that there was a light weight pressed up against her body accompanied by slow and even breathing coming from her shoulder. Looking down, the swordswoman's heart stopped and her face became bright red as she saw that Konoka was fast asleep...and cuddling with her.

_Holy crap...Kono-chan is actually cuddling with me...she was doing this exact thing even while I was asleep...HOLY CRAP I FELL ASLEEP WITH KONOKA..._

She looked down and watched as the chocolate girl snuggled into her arm unconsciously scratched at her nose before resting her arm back down across her waist. Panic was starting to set in as she felt her body's overwhelming urge to wrap the unsuspecting girl into her embrace and cover her with kisses. Gulping and taking a deep breath, Setsuna began to calm down and eventually was able to enjoy Konoka's company. The swordswoman was no stranger to sleeping next to the heiress as her duties required her to be constantly around her. However, this time was far different from any other time, including their time in the magical world. She had never had the privilege of spending the night alone with someone as perfect and as beautiful as this chocolate haired girl, let alone have the honour of snuggling up with her.

In order to keep her rational self from screaming at her to back away because her current position was too dangerous, Setsuna kept telling herself that she was actually in perfect protecting position. No one, be it human or demon, would dare mess with Konoka while she was in this position. The half demon was beginning to become quite happy with herself and even found herself running the hand, attached to the arm being laid on, gently through the soft chocolate brown hair. Konoka quietly stirred at the sudden touch.

"...mmm Set-chan...you come here a minute..." breathed out Konoka from her sleep.

Suddenly like a flash it hit Setsuna. The memories that seemed to have been lost to the mighty tequila monster came charging back into existence. Everything from walking across the beach, to talking non-sense about Chamo all the way up to that one very important thing...

_OHMYGODSIKISSEDKONOKA!...I kissed her, right there in front of everyone else in my drunk and sloppy state...that's why Asuna was acting a little off earlier!... what if I offended Konoka ojou sama?... what if she secretly hates me?...think now Setsuna, she didn't seem to be angry with you after you woke up...if anything she looked sort of..sad?... She wasn't expecting more from me once I was sober did she?... No, there's no way... maybe...GAH! I'm so confussed..._

For the rest of the night, Setsuna lay awake running the memories over and over again through her mind. She had contemplated many times on getting up and maybe heading back to her room, possibly separating herself from Konoka for the rest of the trip. Every time she thought that though, her eyes wondered down to the peacefully sleeping girl on her arm next to her. Konoka was counting on her to always be around. She had made that promise with her years ago when she finally came back into the heiress's life after being apart for so long. Setsuna finally came to the decision that she would not bring up the kiss and that she would continue to, for the most part, emotionally shut herself off from any feelings of love or desire towards Konoka. As the dark grey and rainy sky began to become somewhat lighter from the cracks between the shades over the window, Setsuna gently removed herself from the bed. She walked over to the desk and found a piece of paper, writing a note for Konoka that she was going to track down Asuna for some early morning indoor training. She placed the note on the pillow beside the sleeping princess's head and pulled the covers up to tuck her in.

Setsuna headed for the door, turning to whisper before leaving. "I'm sorry Kono-chan...Even in the off chance that you were looking for something more from me... it just can't happen...I am your servant, and that's all I can afford myself to be..."

The door gently closed leaving the heiress alone in the big room. Konoka sleepily turned over onto her stomach and gently began to hug a pillow.

"...hmm?...Of course I'll marry you Set-chan..." she breathed through her sleep. "It's about damn time you asked..."


	6. Card Sharks Bluff, Not Blush

**Alright, so here's chapter 6! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. This chapter is slightly shorter than the last one, but I'm starting to try something with Setsuna's feelings so I wanted this by itself.**

**Anyways, just thought I'd give an update and thank everyone for the reviews so far. I hope you all like this chapter, I feel a few more are needed before I'm done.**

**Also, keep an eye out for another story coming out soon!**

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**Card Sharks Bluff...Not Blush...**

A sleepy Konoka slowly began to stir after what felt like being asleep for an eternity. The heiress stretched out with a long and lazy yawn before turning over on her side and reaching out to wrap her arm around her guardian's waist. When her arm unexpectedly flopped down and felt a soft empty space on the mattress, Konoka's eye's flashed open. Turning onto her stomach and propping herself up onto her forearms, the chocolate haired girl stared at the space beside her, confused. When she fell asleep last night, she was happily snuggled into her protector's shoulder with her arms wrapped around her.

_There was no way I dreamed that last night...did I? _

She began to pout as she seriously considered that the whole night after she went to get ready for bed was something she had made up in her subconscious. She was about to flop down on the pillow that she had thought to be the one Setsuna slept on, when she felt something odd scrunched up by her elbow. She reached down and pulled out a piece of paper with handwriting on it that she recognized right away. A wave of relief washed over her as she finally realized that her perfect night of snuggling had actually happened. Slowly, the heiress began to read over the note, smiling to herself with every letter that Setsuna had written down. One thing was for sure, Konoka Konoe had it bad for the half demon, especially after the little dream she had had while snuggled up to her warm and toned body.

In Konoka's dream, the two of them had finally told each other about their feelings and Setsuna had even told her how she couldn't stop thinking about her. There was a montage of dates, hardships, happy times, and...physical activities... that had played through her dream, creating the perfect scenario of what their life could be like if they were together. The dream had ended when a blushing and fidgety Setsuna got down on one knee and shakily proposed to an overjoyed, and teary eyed Konoka. Of course, being the way she was in real life, the heiress had harassed the dream swordswoman for not asking sooner. A passionate kiss was the last image that had formed in Konoka's mind before slowly fogging out to nothingness. If Konoka could live with only having one dream for the rest of her life, she would have picked this one hands down.

After reading the letter though, the usually perky and upbeat heiress felt sad and a little dejected. She had been hoping to wake up still snuggled in the arms of her knight, even though she knew that they weren't actually together. She was rather looking forward to watching Setsuna wake up with a panicked look and a blush surfacing on her face. Ever since agreeing to her plan with Asuna, Konoka couldn't get the swordswoman out of her mind. When she thought about it, really thought about, Konoka often wondered if the way she was going about winning over Setsuna was the best of plans. It was fun, playing the "bad-girl" and watching the swordswoman get flustered, but was it really getting her anywhere? Konoka turned over onto her back and placed her hands behind her head.

_Maybe I could try throwing more moments like last night in... it couldn't hurt. If Setsuna really feels about me like Asuna told me, then there's no way her wall would stay in place after sharing some meaningful time together..._

After a little more thought on the subject, Konoka had decided to keep up with the original plan, but also try harder to create more emotionally intimate time with her protector. Feeling happy with her decision, the heiress sat up and stretched before lightly hoping out of bed and heading for the bathroom to take a shower. She imagined that by the time she was done, Setsuna and Asuna would be done their training and the three of them could work on finding something to do on the still rainy day. She chuckled to herself as she stepped in the shower.

_Well, their training might not have even begun... If Ayaka had anything to say about it this morning..._

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BANG BANG BANG!

"Oi Asuna-san! I know you're in there...and I personally apologize to you Ayaka-san..." yelled Setsuna from the other side of the class rep's room door. "...But if Asuna-san doesn't get her butt out here in the next ten seconds for training... I'm going to make her train out here in the pouring rain!"

There was the sound of rustling blankets followed by a loud crash and some giggles. Setsuna shook her head as she could only imagine what sort of scene was currently playing out behind that closed door. She began to laugh to herself as her count slowly drew closer to ten, with still no sign from Asuna. Just as she was about to call out that last number, the door slowly creaked open and a mess of orange hair poked its way through.

"Oh, hey there Setsuna...I was just uhhhhhh..." began Asuna as she tried to come up with an excuse for spending the night in Ayaka's room.

Setsuna continued to laugh. "Save it Asuna-san...I already know. I accidently stumbled upon the two of you...bathing...last night while out on my rounds..."

Asuna slightly blushed as she watched her best friend smirk at her. She quickly returned the smirk with an added thumbs up. "Thanks Setsuna."

"Anyway, do you think you could pull yourself away in about fifteen minutes and meet me for training at the resort's gym?" asked the swordswoman with a determined look on her face.

Asuna was about to nod in agreement when suddenly, she felt a hand snaking it's way slowly up her leg from behind the door where she stood. She began to flinch and blush as she tried to compose herself. "F-fifteen minutes you say? I-I think that should be fine Setsuna. I'll meet you there boss!"

With that, the door slammed closed in Setsuna's face as more giggles began to fade away from the door. Setsuna stood there for a moment, stunned, before turning away and breaking out into a fit of laughter. She barely even noticed the downpour that was engulfing her as she made her way to the gym.

_Asuna-san sure has her hands full with Ayaka-san... when the class rep wants something, she won't stop until she gets it. I guess I know who wears the pants in that relationship..._

A half hour later, Setsuna found herself still alone in the gym, wondering if she should just give up on waiting and start training on her own. She had decided to at least get some laps in before attempting anything else, maybe Asuna would show up then. Training and exercising, no matter when or what kind of weather, was the only thing next to flying that allowed Setsuna to feel like she was in control. She was able to connect to herself easily whenever she went for a run or picked up Yunnagi; it was a great time for her to actually think.

As she rounded the first turn along the indoor track surrounding the gym, Setsuna began to go over her thoughts she had earlier about what to do with her emotions towards Konoka. Before leaving for training, she had decided on trying to cut herself off from any sort of emotional ties, of "that" nature towards the heiress. Upon further thought though, the swordswoman couldn't help but think that doing so was just a form of hiding from her troubles. It did seem to be rather cowardly of her to mentally run from her problems, but at the same time, she wasn't prepared to deal with letting her emotions and thoughts run free. Before she knew it, Setsuna was heading into her tenth lap around the track and was barely breaking a sweat. She took a moment from her deep thoughts to mentally congratulate herself, when she suddenly felt a presence joining her at her side. Without even glancing over, the swordswoman already knew who it was.

"You're late, Asuna-san..." Setsuna said with a devious smile.

"Yeah...sorry about that Setsuna..." began Asuna with a hint of a blush reddening in her cheeks. "...Ayaka kinda had plans of her own this morning..."

Setsuna just laughed and watched as her best friend scratched at the back of her head while still keeping up. "That's fine Asuna-san, except I've already done ten laps now...I suggest you get a move on before that gets doubled..."

With a playful whine, Asuna sprinted forward to start on her laps before the swordswoman had a chance to up the amount. A few hours of training later, the orange haired warrior slumped down against a wall and stretched out while catching her breath. Setsuna had gone to grab them both some bottles of water, and upon returning, tossed one to her friend. There was complete silence as both girls thirstily downed the contents of the bottles. Finally, once every last drop was gone, both girls came up for air.

"So, how was the rest of the bonfire last night Setsuna?" asked the tired warrior as she tossed her bottle into the nearest recycling bin. "Nailed it!"

Setsuna proceeded to recant the events of the previous night as Asuna listened intently. She went over everything from accidently seeing Asuna and the class rep together, the ghost story matched with the dramatic sudden downpour, and finally her spending the night with Konoka. She also made sure to explain in detail as to why she came up with the idea of cutting herself off emotionally when it came to her intimate thoughts about the heiress.

Setsuna slowly slid down the wall and joined Asuna on the floor, lightly tapping the back of her head against the wall as she did. "I think it's the only way I can actually be around Kono-chan without distracting myself... at least until we get back home and things get back to normal..."

Asuna watched as the raven haired girl beside her tried to look serious, but the head tapping was making it hard to take it seriously. "Listen Setsuna...I may not be the smartest person in the world..." she began. "...But I'm pretty sure cutting yourself off from something that really means that much to you isn't going to solve your problem. I'm also pretty sure that forcing away your feelings really isn't all that healthy. I know that I've told you this all before, but I really think it's true. I still think that forcing away your feelings is doing more damage to you and Konoka than actually telling Konoka how you really feel is..."

Setsuna stopped tapping her head and just leaned back against the wall, deep in thought. This was exactly what she was considering earlier, and now she felt even more like her previous decision may have been made a little too hastily. She took a deep breath and held it for a moment as she tried to think of something that both her want side and her rational side would be happy with. Slowly she began to exhale as she came to a final thought.

"Asuna-san...you do make a very valid point..." began the swordswoman. Asuna turned her head to face her friend, hoping for something good to finally come from her. "It really can't be too good for me to keep myself cut off...plus I imagine that Kono-chan will feel that something is up. I would hate to see her crushed knowing that I may have caused it. Maybe... what if I allowed myself to at least give into the feelings, but just the feelings. That way, I won't worry you with how I'm doing..."

Asuna looked at her friend with squinted, questioning eyes. "So basically, you're going to allow yourself to think about Konoka, with a slightly more open mind...but still not act on those thoughts?"

"Basically, yes." smiled Setsuna.

It wasn't much, but Asuna took the gesture as a firm step forward for the hopeful relationship between her two best friends. She knew that this one opening inside the stubborn half demon's brain, though small, was a new weak point for Konoka to get into. All it would take is more coaxing from both her and the heiress, and soon the well guarded wall surrounding Setsuna would crumble. She jumped up with a new found energy and smiled at the surprised girl still on the floor. Reaching her hand out, Asuna helped up Setsuna and then clapped her on the shoulder.

"Well Setsuna, that's a start!" said Asuna with a thumbs up. "How's about we do a few more laps and then call it a day?"

Setsuna smiled as she playfully shoved her friend to the side and made a sprint for the first turn, shouting that it was now a race and the loser would do push ups until the other said stop. Throwing insults at the swordswoman's back, Asuna couldn't help but smile as she thought about all the possibilities in store for her new, starting to become true to herself, friend.

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It was lunch time before the two friends had met up with Konoka at the group meal hall. All three girls were starving and couldn't wait to finally dig into some much needed mountains of food. They were soon joined by Ayaka and both Konoka and Setsuna hid giggles as they watched the toughest girl in their class basically melt at the touch from the blonde. Both the mage and half demon were secretly feeling jealous, but neither was showing it. The rain was coming down just as heavily as it had since the bonfire last night, causing the entire class to give up any sort of hope of getting back outside for the rest of the day.

Most of the girls began to wonder off to different parts of the main resort building, hoping to find something to occupy their time. Some ended up swimming in the resort's pool, others went off to watch a movie in the huge custom theatre, and some even went to the gym in hopes of trying to start some sort of game. The only people left in the room were the four friends, all still trying to decide on what they wanted to do. Finally, they decided to get up and take a walk around in hopes of something catching their eye. It wasn't long before they came across a room where they heard some of their classmates laughing after someone had cursed about their horrible luck. Intrigued by what was going on, Asuna made her way over to the door and went inside, followed closely behind by Ayaka, Setsuna, and Konoka.

"Hey guys!" greeted Asuna with a smile. "What exactly are you kids up too?"

"Oh hey Asuna-san!" replied Yuna from a seat at a large, oval shaped table. "We found this table and some cards so we decided to play poker. You guys wanna play?"

As soon as the word poker hit Setsuna's ears, the young swordswoman perked up with burning interest. During her time training at the Shinmei academy, Setsuna picked up a lot more than just learning how to handle a katana. Whenever she and the other students weren't taking extra time to train, they would be hustling for each other's belongings in friendly hands of the card game. Setsuna had left the academy, not only as the top ranked swords master of her class, but also the best poker player to ever shuffle a deck. Whenever Setsuna had a chance to play, it was like a totally different person took over her body. She was looking forward to sitting down at this table with her classmates, showing them how this game was meant to be played.

Konoka had noticed the gleam in Setsuna's eye as soon as Yuna had asked the question. Smiling to herself, she quickly pushed the swordswoman inside and down into a vacant chair at the table. "I know that Set-chan would love to play, Yuna-san." Setsuna looked up and smiled weakly at the heiress, the later returning the smile with an added nod of approval.

"Awesome!" replied Makie as she pumped her fist in the air.

"Anyone else wanna join in?" asked Ku as she playfully shuffled the deck of cards around.

Surprisingly, the class rep pulled out a chair and pulled herself into the table. "I'm in for sure!" she winked back to Asuna who was still standing beside Konoka, both now laughing.

"Alright good, now we finally have a full table of nine!" exclaimed Ku as she glanced at the girls now situated around the table.

The poker table consisted of the following members of class 6-A in this order starting with the dealer: Ku Fei, Makie Sasaki, Setsuan Sakurazki, Yuna Akashi, Haruna Saotome, Akira Okochi, Ayaka Yukihiro, Chisame Hasegawa, and finally Kazumi Asakura. There was a small group of onlookers that accompanied Asuna and Konoka, including the three cheerleaders and the rest of the library exploration club. With the new personality beginning to sink in, Setsuna began to look around and size up her competition. The only girl that seemed to be of any threat to her was either Ku or Kazumi. She felt confidence flow through her and began to relax as she pulled herself closer to the table. Before Ku started to deal out the cards, she went over the rules of the game.

"Alright ladies, today we're gonna be playing straight up Texas hold em." She glanced around the table and took in all the nods of understanding. A smile crept up over her face as she continued. "However...I think we need to but a classic 6-A twist on this game..."

The regular Setsuna slightly began to panic as she heard the note of deviousness escape from the young martial artist's lips. Gulping, she dared to ask the question. "So...what exactly did you have in mind, Ku-san?"

The rest of the girls all turned to face Ku in anticipation of her next words. With a grin, the martial artist continued. "Well, it just wouldn't be 6-A if we didn't turn this into something more interesting...sooooooooooooooo, get ready ladies...we're playing for clothes!"

"You...you mean..." began Akira as Chisame face palmed from two chairs down.

"Yep! It's time for a good afternoon of strip poker!" laughed Ku.

All of the girls in the room, aside from Haruna, Kazumi, and Ku, groaned. Of course this is what was going to happen; why should they have thought differently? At first Setsuna thought about backing out, but her poker personality kicked in and assured her that she would not be losing any clothing for the entirety of the game. The rest of the girls seemed to come around to the idea too, and even Konoka and the others cheered with their support. It was settled now, strip poker was the game and the last person with any sort of clothing remaining on their body won. It was a game in which they would be fighting for honour, as well as bragging rights over those whom they stole panties from. Once the excitement settled down, Setsuna slipped completely into card shark mode and waited with hidden anticipation for her first hand to be dealt.

Piece by piece, articles of clothing began to hit the floor as every girl around Setsuna felt the wrath that was her poker face. There was no stopping this hustler version of the usually bashful swordswoman. Within the first few hands, Makie was out, completely void of any sort of material on her body. Next to follow the pink haired girl's walk of shame was Chisame, who's irritation and habit of becoming enraged whenever she was dealt a bad hand made her easier fodder for Setsuna. There were a few times where the swordswoman had to fold out, but the rules stated folding wouldn't penalize you by taking a piece of clothing away.

One by one, the rest of the girls started to fall out. Soon, the only ones left at the table were Setsuna, Yuna, Ku, Akira, and Ayaka. Setsuna had to admit that she was surprised the class rep had lasted this long, but also had a feeling she was doing her best to stay in just so she could tease Asuna. Still fully dressed, the raven haired half demon began to calculate her next victim. The easiest target would seem to be Akira, as she was left with only her panties and trying her hardest to shield her chest away with a well placed left arm. Next was Ayaka, who was sitting in her seat with nothing but her panties and her t-shirt, cleverly removing her bra through the arm of her sleeve to add more tension for a certain orange haired onlooker. Yuna still had her sports bra on, accompanied by her panties and jeans; she was also doing a lot better in this game than Setsuna had originally thought. Of course, just as she had originally guessed, Ku was nearly as clothed as she was. Taking her down wasn't going to be easy, but the card shark within her merely brushed the martial artist off as if she was nothing.

Akira and Ayaka both dropped like flies after their hands were destroyed by a well placed flush from Ku and a nice few hands from Setsuna and Yuna. Now, it was down to three and tension started building all over the room. Kuzumi began to take bets on the winner after she re-dressed and Haruna started to draw out the scene before her. It may have been the pressure, it may have been a random outburst of on and off A.D.D, but for some reason Yuna began to crumble. She was out after her three of a kind was beaten out by a flush from Setsuna.

"Aw man, seriously?" huffed Yuna as she stubbornly kicked off her panties in defeat. "I never lose! Setsuna-san, talk about kicking ass and taking names..."

"Uhhhh Yuna-san..." began Kazumi as she hid a giggle. "I hadn't noticed before but uh...what's that drawing you have on your butt there?"

All the girls in the room suddenly turned their heads in unison in order to get a look at what Kazumi was talking about. They all began to giggle as Yuna started to blush and looked over to Makie. "See Makie... this is why we can't ever go drinking together anymore! It was all her idea I swear...I don't even like magical girls..." The room erupted in laughter as it became apparent that Yuna had a chibi magical girl version Makie tattooed on the right side of her butt.

After the momentary pause in the game to make cat calls and harass Yuna for her very regrettable drunken mistake, the swordswoman and the martial artist went straight back into their epic battle. Just as before, the card shark version of Setsuna was holding her own and was swiftly taking out Ku hand after hand. The martial artist was almost dumb stricken as she found herself sitting there with less and less clothes. The swordswoman was out for blood, and she was tantalizingly close to getting it. Somewhere from behind her, Konoka stood against the wall watching her protector, with a dreamy look in her eyes. Asuna excused herself away from Ayaka for a moment and nudged her friend.

"Hey, Konoka...what's up?" she silently asked. "You sorta look like you're drooling over here...hey!"

Konoka snapped out of it and blushed as some images of Setsuna vanished from her vision. She looked over to see Asuna staring at her, smirking. "Oh, hey Asuna...sorry about that. I was just thinking about how...sexy Set-chan looks while she's playing cards..."

Asuna looked over to the table and watched as the swordswoman won another hand and Ku was being forced to remove another piece of clothing. She started laughing quietly, causing Konoka to look at her questionably. "Sorry, but it's just funny don't you think? The one completely obvious lesbian in the whole class who is usually so bashful...suddenly getting thrown into a position where girl's clothes come flying off to her. It's really funny Konoka...hey what are you doing?"

The young heiress had gleam in her eye as she stepped towards the table. It just wasn't fair that Setsuna was sitting here so calmly, as their classmate's clothes were basically being handed over to her. She couldn't help but feel jealous and even a little angry after taking in Asuna's comment. All eyes were on her as Konoka pulled out the chair directly across from Setsuna and sat down in a huff. Setsuna's card shark personality momentarily broke away as she took in the sight of an irritable heiress staring back at her with fire in her eyes.

_If Set-chan won't undress me by choice...then I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands..._

"Deal me in Set-chan..." Konoka said with a smirk as she leaned teasingly towards the swordswoman. "...Someone needs to take you down, I think..."

Setsuna gulped as she felt heat rushing all through her body. "B-but Kono-chan...w-we're still in the middle of a ga-..."

"Oh no, it's cool Setsuna-san..." said Ku with a laugh as she backed away from the table. "Let's just say you won and I get to keep what's left of my dignity..." She tossed her clothes back on and joined the others around the table, all of whom were whispering amongst one another.

Konoka playfully twisted a finger through her silky smooth hair, pretending not to notice as Setsuna's face began to redden. "So, how about it Set-chan...You and me in a battle to show who's dominant?..."

Setsuna gulped as a million different scenarios flashed through her mind. Her princess was actually sitting across from her, challenging her to a high stakes game of poker...strip poker. Meaning, when all is said and done, one of them would be completely naked while the other basked in the glory of it. The swordswoman's rational side began to plead with her, saying that it understood the promise she made to Asuna earlier about being more liberated with her thoughts, but that this was just suicide. The want side however was screaming at her, accompanied by the ever competitive card shark within her. In what felt like seconds, the headstrong and rational Setsuna faded away as the new poker master persona took over completely. With a devilish smirk and a shuffle of the cards, Setsuna returned the look to Konoka.

"You got it Kono-chan. Same rules..." she started to deal out two cards each. "...first one naked loses..."

If there was ever enough tension to physically drown a person, it was right there in that room as Setsuna turned over three cards from the deck to reveal what would be part of their first hand. All the girls around the table knew the history between the two girls sitting in front of them, and yet none of them would have ever expected something like this. Most of their gaze was directed towards Setsuna, who they would never have thought would accept such a direct and sexualized challenge. Even Asuna was stuck in shock mode as she watched a fourth card being flopped down on the table. Once it all sunk in, the girls became excited and looked on while Haruna tore open a new page in her sketch book.

Unknown to Setsuna, Konoka also had some experience when it came to playing poker. While the swordswoman was off training for those few years away from the heiress, Konoka picked up the game through her care takers to pass the time she spent at home or on vacations away from school. To put it blatantly, Konoka knew when to hold em, and when to fold em. This is why everyone was completely taken by surprise when the first round ended with Setsuna having to remove her sweater. Konoka hid her excitement, but on the inside she was completely overjoyed at having gained the upper hand on her unsuspecting guardian. Setsuna on the other hand, was hiding the fact that she was shocked from losing that hand. The swordswoman rarely lost and couldn't even recall the last time it had happened.

It seemed that a few hands went equally back and forth between the two of them. Heat was building up in both of them as each laid witness to the other removing pieces of material. Soon, the swordswoman was down to her sports bra and boy cut boxer shorts. Konoka was down to her last two articles of clothing as well, although hers were her favourite pair of lacy black panties and just her t-shirt. She too decided to try and distract the swordswoman by removing her matching bra through the sleeve of her shirt. Upon seeing this act, Setsuna nearly felt her nose burst, but was quickly refocused back into the game by her secondary persona. It was very much possible that the next two hands would decide the game.

"Guys, I really need to pee..." whispered Yue.

"If you go now, you're gonna miss everything!" Ayaka whispered back.

"Man up Yue-san!" growled Chisame

"Maybe...just try not to think about it..." calmly whispered Nodoka.

"Hey, be quiet!" hushed Makie. "Setsuna's about to draw another card!"

The two cards Setsuna had face down in front of her after dealing were two nines; they weren't face cards like she had been hoping for, but they were high enough to keep her relaxed. She glanced at Konoka to see that she was also calm and concentrating on keeping a straight face. The swordswoman had to admit to herself that the girl in front of her was throwing off an extremely sexy air of confidence. She continued to watch her as she reached over to the deck and began to lay three more cards face up.

_Maybe winning this game is exactly what I need... I wouldn't mind catching a glimpse of Kono-chan without anything on..._

_Wait what? I didn't just think that..._

_Yes, yes you did..._

_Hey! Shut up card shark me, that's not the point. We just want to win..._

_Yeah, win so we can get a good long look at that hot piece of ass sitting across from us..._

_Gah! I knew this was a bad!_

_Shut up and just let me have control here for the next few minutes...we both know you won't regret it..._

Setsuna's gambling alter ego then proceeded to take her completely over as she looked down at the cards that were just flipped over. Nothing there, expect for maybe a promising looking Jack. She smirked inwardly before reaching over to flip over another card. To her surprise, it was another Jack which at least gave her a hand with two pairs. She looked up to see Konoka, still eyeing her with a calm expression; clearly unfazed by the new development. As Setsuna reached for the last card, she took a deep breath and pleaded for it to be something she could use. Much to the surprise of everyone in the room, the last card turned over also happened to be a Jack. The swordswoman expertly hid her excitement as she realized that she now held a full house. There were very few things that could beat it, but she was sure that the heiress couldn't possibly posses the proper cards to do so.

Konoka picked up her two cards and looked to Setsuna. "Alright Set-chan...since I won the last round, you lay them down first..."

With a smile, the swordswoman laid her cards down face up in front of her. "Full house, Jacks and Nines..."

Konoka smiled as she looked at the hand laying down in front of her. Even though she had a desire to completely strip Setsuna down, her original plan was to have Setsuna do it to her. "I also have a full house Set-chan...except yours wins, I have Jacks and Fives..."

Everyone in the room released their breaths at the same time. Nodoka had passed out from the tension as Haruna basically wallowed in a puddle of drool while she continued to draw. Asuna was becoming more and more panicky, not really knowing what to expect should Setsuna win and actually get an eyeful of a completely naked Konoka. She should have known as soon as she made the comment about the swordswoman getting all the other girl's clothes that the heiress would jump in with a devious plan. If Setsuna died from blood lose, she would feel completely responsible, especially since she got the girl to finally embrace her feelings earlier that day. Yep, Asuna was definitely preparing herself for what was sure to be the biggest bite on the ass she could ever receive.

Konoka looked at Setsuna, who was staring at her in a completely serious poker face. "Well, I guess that means I'm down to one last piece Set-chan..."

Before Setsuna could blink, the heiress reached down and slowly slipped off the lacy black panties and let them fall off her ankle as she crossed her legs at the knee. Even Yuna couldn't help but turn away to try and hide a nosebleed from an irritated, yet slightly entranced looking Makie beside her. Turning back she grinned at her pink haired companion, knowing that she was probably going to get an earful about it later. Since the card shark was currently in control of Setsuna's body, all she could allow was an eye twitch. Inside, the normal Setsuna was surrounded by the image of Konoka's panties falling in slow motion to the floor accompanied by the table being flipped over and the heiress crawling her way towards her. She was quickly silenced by the personality now in control and after Konoka fidgeted a little, the game continued.

This round seemed to be going just as well as the last round. Setsuna seemed to have been dealt another decent pair and was hoping to get an equal if not better turn out than last time. Her face fell however when Konoka laid down her cards to reveal that she held a Flush. The swordswoman slapped her cards down and crossed her arms in defeat.

"I'm just a Straight..." she sighed, as she reached down to remove her own boxer shorts. She looked back up as she heard sniggering coming from the girls around her. Suddenly what she had just said hit her. "Oh ha ha guys...very funny..."

This was it; the next hand would be winner take all. Setsuna calmly shifted in her seat as she began to deal out their last hand. The heiress waited patiently for Setsuna to finish, still determined to have the swordswoman win this game so that she could feel like Setsuna had actually undressed her. Of course Konoka would have preferred the real thing, but this would do...for now. The heiress slowly shifted the position of her legs before settling in to the last round. Setsuna glanced down at the two cards under her hand. At first she was irritated, as it was an Ace and a Ten; however after taking a closer look, she noticed that they were of the same suit. It was a far stretch, but the card shark was hoping for some sort Flush. She turned three cards over and doing her utmost best to hide her excitement, looked down to see a King and a Jack of the same suit staring back up at her. Konoka also sat perfectly still, putting on her own poker face. Another card drawn, and this time it was another King. Setsuna cursed inside as her chances were slowly beginning to fade away. She had to win, she wasn't supposed to be beaten...she had to see Konoka. Just then a fight started to break out inside her thoughts.

_Alright, this has gone on long enough...I'm coming back out there!_

_Shut up, we have this...don't chicken out now..._

_No, I refuse to take advantage of Kono-chan like this. Whatever card comes up next we are dealing with it my way..._

_Gods seriously?...You're really no fun. _

_Between the mess you and drinking are causing me, this will be the last time I ever let you out again...got that?_

_Fine whatever party pooper...have your brain back. Good luck with the hot girl..._

_Gah!_

Setsuna snapped back to normal as her hand reached for the last card. She took a deep breath and a quick glance up at the girl across from her. Everyone else seemed to do the same thing as the card was lifted off of the deck and then placed down face up on the table. The swordswoman, despite having locked away her card shark personality, focused hard and hid any sort tell from her face. The last card that was flipped over was a Queen that matched the same suit of the other four cards she was using for her hand. Setsuna was now holding the ultimate hand, the dreaded and very rare Royal Flush. On any other occasion, she would have been overjoyed with such luck; but considering that her winning meant a very naked heiress, Setsuna gulped as she tried to figure out what to do.

"Ok Set-chan, looky here!" said Konoka with a twisted smile. She pretended to be excited with her three of a kind, but actually knew that her hand was small peanuts to what the swordswoman could have. Her hand subtly rested on the bottom of her shirt, waiting to lift it off in wanted defeat.

Setsuna on the other hand paused. She was stuck; there was no doubt about that. The only thing she could think of was bluff her way out of this. Slowly she reached forward and pushed her face down cards slightly in front of her. "I got nothing... you win Kono-chan..."

There was an eruption of cheers from all the girls around them as they rushed to Konoka's side. She had brought down the card tyrant Setsuna and was now being clapped on the back by all but Asuna and Ayaka. They joined the swordswoman and giggled as the blushing raven haired girl in front of them ceremoniously removed her last piece of clothing. There were whoops and cheers from everyone in the room, including a few small ones from Konoka. The heiress was disappointed that her plan fell through, but was more than happy to receive her consolation prize. She hid her reddening cheeks as she took in the dreamy sight of her naked and toned protector. What she wouldn't give to just jump across the table right now and feel those tight muscles wrap around her and have those hands run wild all over her body. Setsuna meanwhile, crossed her arms in front of her chest and tried to calm herself before her whole body went red. She was definitely embarrassed, being completely naked and gawked at by her classmates, but at least she was still conscious and didn't suffer from any blood lose.

"Ok that's it I can't wait any longer!" yelled Yue as she ran out the door.

"Man, now I gotta go too...Wait up Yue-san!" called Kazumi.

All the girls eventually started to leave together, agreeing on maybe catching a movie before dinner time. Konoka got up and slowly began to put her clothes back on, watching Setsuna do the same from the corner of her eye. After she was done she quickly made her way to the swordswoman's side and playfully hugged her arm.

"That was a fun game Set-chan..." she moved closer to Setsuna's ear. "We should definitely play again sometime... well, I'm gonna go grab a snack, meet you guys later ok?" With that, she was out the door.

Setsuna just stood there, soundlessly and eye twitching. She began to refocus when she felt a finger poke into her shoulder. "She...wants to play again sometime? But...huh? I don't get it..."

Asuna and Ayaka both face palmed. Only Setsuna could be so blind to such obvious advances when it came to seduction. "Sometimes Setsuna...I swear..." mumbled Asuna.

Ayaka couldn't help but feel that the swordswoman was hiding something from them. She walked towards the table and then turned around to face Setsuna. "I still can't believe that you lost Setsuna-san. I mean, you were doing so well up until that last hand...seems to be quiet the unfortunate turn of events, doesn't it?"

Asuna was quick to pick up on what the class rep was laying down. "Yeah...I have to admit Setsuna that it was kinda weird for you to all of a sudden lose, especially on the last hand..."

Reacting as fast as she could, Setsuna lunged for her cards on the table before Ayaka or Asuna had a chance to. There was a loud thump as all three girls crashed to the ground along with the table and all the cards. Limbs were flying as the swordswoman did her best to keep the cards away from her two attackers. Finally after several minutes had passed, Asuna grabbed a hold of Setsuna from behind and held her arms over her head. Ayaka quickly grabbed the cards and turned them over in her hands. The blonde began to laugh as she proceeded to show Asuna what the swordswoman really had for a last hand. Asuna looked down to her now blushing friend who was staring at her feet.

"Setsuna...you lost on purpose?" asked the orange haired warrior.

Setsuna sighed. "I told you earlier that I would allow myself to think about Kono-chan...I'm still not ready for anything aside from that. I still have responsibilities Asuna-san."

"Yeah, yeah I guess..." sighed Asuna, she moved closer to the swordswoman ear. "...You totally loved the whole panty removal thing though, didn't you?"

Ayaka and Asuna both burst out laughing as they watched the swordswoman turn bright red and attempt to fight her way out of her friend's hold. The two slowly began to drag their protesting friend to grab a snack and to find her princess.


	7. What The? Son Of A Glitch!

**Hey guys, sorry about taking a little longer than usual to update... classes and life got in the way...**

**Anyway, here's part seven... we're slowly drawing closer to the end! Although it won't be until I get a few more ideas out there.**

**Hope you enjoy it, and please review!**

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**What The? Son Of A Glitch!...**

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly and rather uneventful for a usually enthusiastic class of 6-A. Dinner came faster than was expected, and now Setsuna was sitting next to Konoka trying to figure out what they could do for the rest of the night. Many of the other girls had joined into the conversation, throwing out some ideas; some forgetting that the rain was still pouring down outside. It was beginning to look like they would be turning into bed early when Ayaka chimed in with her idea.

"Why don't we all go to the theatre and watch a movie, then have a giant sleep over here in the meal hall?" offered the class rep with a smile. "My family keeps extra bedding inside this building, so we won't have to worry about going back out into the dark and cold night to get back to our rooms. It'll be fun!"

Konoka leaned back in her chair and thought for a moment, glancing over to her guardian to see what she was thinking. From the corner of her eye Setsuna seemed to be alright with this idea. "I think that's a great idea Ayaka-san!" said the heiress as she reached over to the class rep for a high-five. "It's been so long since we all had a sleep over!"

The rest of the girls joined in with their nods and praises of agreement. Once they were all finished, they would gather any movie-going supplies they would need and head down to the theatre. Ayaka had told them that anything they wanted, just as everything else on the trip so far, was free of charge; meaning a pig-out session was sure to accompany the movie. Setsuna was sure to grab a decent sized bag of candy, mixed with all of her and Konoka's favourites before following the crowd of girls in to get a seat. She was glancing around trying to catch a glimpse of the heiress or the orange twin pig-tails of her best friend, when she felt a sudden tug on her forearm. Looking up, the swordswoman found that she was quickly being dragged to a seat by a smiling and giggling Konoka; she quickly relaxed and allowed herself to be tugged along. Once they reached their seats, the heiress gently pushed the swordswoman down in her new spot before making her way into hers. She had planned this, and was now slowly climbing her way over Setsuna's legs to her seat. With a quick and evil smirk, Konoka "accidently" tripped and fell back onto the unsuspecting swordswoman's lap.

"Gah!...K-K-Kono-chan..." yelped Setsuna as she felt the heiress's perfectly rounded and curvy backside press into her midsection. Before she could stop herself, she found her eyes wondering downwards. Much to her surprise and slight horror, the swordswoman caught sight of what could only be explained as a piece of black material sticking out of Konoka's pants. Her face, as well of the rest of her body, began to heat up as she realised that what she was looking at was actually those lacy black panties she had seen earlier that day. Her vision started to cloud over as the image of those same panties slowly came sliding off Konoka's leg and fell gently to the floor.

"Opps, sorry Set-chan..." apologized Konoka in a quiet and slightly seductive tone. "...I tripped over my own foot..."

Gulping, the swordswoman reached out to try and help her up. "...n-no it's alright Kono-chan...don't worry about it..."

Much to Konoka's surprise, Setsuna placed her hands on both of the heiress's hips and slowly pulled her upwards to regain her footing. Konoka was now blushing as she felt rough hands and fingers graze the exposed sides of her hips. It was rare for her to receive such a touch from her protector, as Setsuna would always pull away in embarrassment and apologize should she catch herself in such a position. Konoka was sure not to draw any attention to it so that she could take in the moment for as long as possible. Unfortunately, Setsuna's hands slowly brushed away from her hips sooner than she would have liked. Sighing to herself as the last bit of feeling from her protector's touch left her skin, Konoka slide over and came to a rest in her seat. She looked over and noticed that Setsuna was looking back at her, smiling. She returned the smile and added a small squeal of happiness when the swordswoman presented her with the bag full of treats.

Once the whole class had themselves situated in their spots, Ayaka cleared her throat to grab everyone's attention. "Alright, so what does everyone want to watch? We have a huge assortment of movies from here, and even America..."

"Ooooo, could we please watch some cheesy older American movie?" asked Makie as she placed her hands to her face in excitement.

"Yeah! We should totally watch some old romance movie or something..." agreed Haruna. "Besides, we can all pretty much speak fluent English at this point, thanks to the kid."

Negi smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of his head. "...Aww come on girls, I'm not a kid anymore...but I do agree that your English is nearly spot on..."

The rest of the girls cheered in agreement and decided that an English movie would be the best choice for the night. Asuna carried down a box marked with "American Drama/Romance" to the front of the theatre. She propped it open with one hand and began to search through the box. Asuna wasn't exactly the biggest fan of dramatic or romantic films; she was more of an action or comedy girl. Most of the covers on the cases were too boring looking for her, or had too much sappiness in their tittles. She saw one movie called "Titanic" which almost looked promising, until she saw how long it was and the really cheesy picture on the back of the two main characters standing at the front of the ship. She quickly tossed that one aside and shushed the others, who were growing impatient. Finally, after almost losing hope of finding a decent looking movie, Asuna came to rest her eyes on the cover of one that looked better than the rest. The title seemed to be promising as well; with hopeful hints of some sort of action.

Asuna shut the box and stood up, holding the movie out in front of her. "Ok guys, I got it...how about we watch The Bodyguard?..."

"Is that the one with that singer who's messed up now?" asked Chisame.

"Yeah! It's got Whitney Houston in it!" cheered Sakurako. "She was the one who did that big American hit song in the nineties for the movie...what's it called again?... we sing it all the time in Karaoke..."

"...It's I Will...something something..." mumbled Misa.

"I Will Always Love You! That's it, I remember know!" clapped Sakurako.

All at once the class came to a realization of what the two cheerleaders and Chisame were talking about. With some laughing and cheering, Ayaka took the movie from Asuna and ran up the stairs to the back of the theatre where she placed the disk into the projection player. She joined Asuna, who was sitting at the back next to Setsuna and Konoka. The four friends began to sit back in their seats and relax as the projection screen light up with the title sequence.

Setsuna, despite seeming calm, couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable. As soon as she heard the title of the movie, she connected it with the genera and felt her stomach do little flips. She stole quick glances towards Konoka and was beginning to feel like this movie was going to hit close to home for her. The swordswoman was starting to fidget in her seat when she felt soft, silky hair fall around her shoulder and bicep. Luckily it was now dark in the theatre, because Setsuna's face light up in a bright shade of red. Turning her head, she looked down to see that a smiling Konoka had decided to rest her head on her protector's shoulder, snuggling in for the movie. Setsuna returned the smile, and then brought her attention back to the screen in front of her.

Just as the half demon had suspected, the movie proved to be a love story between a bodyguard and the woman he was responsible for protecting. She watched on with awe as she began to relate everything that was happening in the movie to her own life. The swordswoman knew exactly how the bodyguard felt and she started to feel like Asuna picked this movie out on purpose to make a point. She turned her head to the other side and was about to ask Asuna if she had this planned, when she noticed that Asuna and the class rep were a little too busy with themselves to notice her. Quickly, Setsuna returned her attention back to the screen. She started to watch the movie more intently now, hoping that she was just being paranoid about the whole thing.

_This bodyguard guy is only doing his job...just like any guard would...calm yourself down Setsuna, it's just a movie. Oh cool, he has a katana too...wait why is he letting her play with it, it's dangerous...HOLY CRAP..._

The Swordswoman blushed as she watched the love scene between the bodyguard and his charge take place. She suddenly became extra aware of the weight resting on her arm, causing her to slightly fidget and blush. Setsuna wasn't sure, but she thought that she heard a soft giggle coming from the heiress resting on her. She desperately wanted to get up for some air, but felt as if that would just draw some unwanted and unnecessary attention to herself. After taking a deep breath and closing her eyes for a moment, Setsuna calmed down and attempted to relax back into the movie.

The rest of the film seemed to play out just as the swordswoman would have expected. She felt for sure that the fiction unfolding in front of her was as real as Konoka sitting next to her. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong, and Setsuna found herself trying to inch closer to the heiress in order to feel like she was better protecting her. Every shot from a gun on screen made her glance around the room as if it was really happening. She was in full guardian mode, and nothing was going to harm her Konoka.

"Set-chan...are you alright?" asked Konoka in a concerned whisper. "...you look a little on edge...and I can't feel my hand..."

Setsuna snapped out of the image she had of a masked sketchy figure making its way off with Konoka. She looked down and realized that she had the heiress's hand in a death grip; quickly letting it go. "...S-sorry Kono-chan...I was just uh...getting into the movie. It's good, isn't it?" she asked while scratching the back of her head and smiling weakly.

Konoka quickly pieced things together in her head and tried to hide her shock. She had no idea how much Setsuna would relate this movie to herself. The heiress gently took the swordswoman's hand back into her own and began to weave her fingers in through hers.

"Set-chan...it's alright. You don't need to pretend that this movie doesn't get to you. I know you take your responsibility very seriously...but please just remember...it's only a movie ok?" she looked up with soft eyes and watched as Setsuna looked down to the floor, almost ashamed. "...look Set-chan, I know that as long as you're around...I'll be safe. I wouldn't trust anyone else. Not even big scary Mana-san, ok?"

Setsuna hid a tear that managed to sneak from the corner of her eye and gave a laugh before coming back up to meet Konoka's gaze. "...ha...I'll be sure to rub that in Mana-san's face later." She smiled at the now happy heiress. "Thank you Kono-chan. I promise that nothing will ever harm you...right down to my last breath..."

Konoka smiled even bigger as Setsuna offered back her arm to use as a pillow for the rest of the movie. The heiress snuggled back in, somehow feeling even safer than she had been ten minutes ago. She had always known that Setsuna thought hard and was always deeply worried about her well being, but she never knew that the swordswoman was so concerned that a movie would get to her. Her heart began to thump hard in her chest as that feeling of a deeper love and longing flowed through her.

The movie was slowly coming to an end, bringing with it the suspenseful climax. The action was at its highest point and Konoka found it extremely hard to take her eyes off of the screen. Even though she had just explained to Setsuna that it was just a movie, the heiress was now growing more concerned for the fate of the main characters. She hadn't felt this tense in a long time, the happy feeling in her heart now changed to a panicky rhythm. Suddenly, she slammed her eyes shut and tried not to draw attention to herself as the bodyguard took a bullet to the chest. It was now her turn to have images of Setsuna in danger, or evening dying trying to protect her. Her eyes, hidden by the swordswoman's unsuspecting arm, filled with tears.

_...I don't know what I would ever do if anything like that happened to Set-chan...I understand now why she worries the way she does, and why she's so determined to keep her feelings for me a secret... when the time comes, I'm going to talk to her about this, really talk to her...I want her to know that I feel the same way , and that we can protect each other..._

The heiress felt a finger gently poke the top of her head. "Kono-chan...are you awake? The movie's over now." She quickly fixed her mental state, and pretended to look like she just woke up when she looked up to see Setsuna.

Konoka slowly stretched out and made a fake yawn. "...hmmmm...yeah sorry Set-chan..." she began. "...guess I dozed off there...how was the rest of the movie?"

Setsuna also stretched out as she finally received her arm back. "It was alright I guess Kono-chan. Although, it was extremely cheesy..."

"...wait, the movie's over already?" breathed a very dishevelled looking Asuna.

Konoka giggled while Setsuna rolled her eyes and face palmed. "Yes Asuna-san...it's over now..."

Ayaka joined in with Konoka's giggling as she attempted to fix up the orange haired warrior's pigtails. Setsuna just shook her head as she watched her best friend start to blush from embarrassment. Soon, the four friends found themselves slowly shuffling back into the meal hall with the rest of the girls. The resort staff had already laid out the make-shift beds, and one by one the girls began to settle down into them. Setsuna quickly brushed her teeth and shook out her hair from her signature side pony before heading back to the hall. She sat down at the edge of her bed, and watched as Konoka playfully flopped down behind her. The swordswoman was about to ask what the heiress was doing taking over her bed, when she was answered with a low rumble from the storm outdoors. Smiling, Setsuna got the hint and nodded her approval. She was about to lie beside Konoka when a loud groan came from a few beds down.

"GAAAAHHHHH! What do you mean it's supposed to rain again tomorrow?" whined Yuna as she collapsed back onto her bed.

"...Well, it's exactly how it sounds Yuna-san..." began Satomi. "According to my weather tracker, we can expect rain for at least one more day."

The whole room rumbled with a low and annoyed groan. The girls had had enough trouble trying to find something to keep themselves occupied for just one rain filled day; what were they supposed to do for another one? There were now mumbles coming from some of the girls saying that maybe they should just end the trip and head back home. Konoka sat up in a panic as she worried that her time to win Setsuna over was coming to an end much earlier than she anticipated. Setsuna also felt a little worried, as she was just starting to feel comfortable with her feelings for Konoka, and didn't want to be thrust back into her regular routine so soon. All hope seemed like it was becoming a lost cause as more and more mumbles joined in.

"Just hang on now girls..." said Satomi as she stood up from her bed. "I have an idea. Just give me a few hours tonight to sort everything out and you won't be sorry!" She smiled with a salute and then made her way out the door, quickly dialling a number into her phone.

Asuna stretched out on her back on her bed. "Gee, I wonder what Satomi-san has up her sleeve..."

Setsuna gently lay down beside a now calm Konoka, blushing slightly as said girl quickly snuggled into her arm while pulling the covers up around her face. "Well, knowing Satomi-san... it's sure to be something big...and probably in some weird way, dangerous..."

Both girls laughed before saying good night and turning into sleep. Unfortunately for Setsuna, sleep just wasn't coming for her. The swordswoman's mind was still wrapped up in the movie earlier, despite Konoka trying her best to calm the situation. Her rational side was slowly trying to make its way back into the forefront of her mind. It was screaming for her to reconsider her new, liberal approach to her feelings for the heiress, reminding her of the images of everything that went wrong when the bodyguard gave into his feelings. She was very, very tempted to listen to her thoughts and go back to the way she was before; however, something was telling her to press on with her promise to Asuna. She looked down at her sleeping princess and smiled as she watched her breathing gently.

_I promised myself to be better with my thoughts...a promise is a promise, and I have never, ever gone back on one before... no more hiding... maybe...maybe I can try going...further?_

Setsuna slowly leaned her head downwards, inching closer to her princess's forehead. She was so close that she could smell the refreshing scent of Konoka's favourite shampoo. The swordswoman took a deep breath in, being sure to lock away this smell and this moment into her memories. Again, she slowly moved closer. Setsuna was just about to press her lips to Konoka's forehead, when she felt said girl move lightly. The usually tough and extremely brave half demon swordswoman chickened out and backed away, laying her head back down onto her own pillow.

_...M-m-maybe not, maybe n-not yet..._

Setsuna lay there for a few more moments, trying to clear her head. She sighed to herself as she suddenly remembered that she didn't go out to replace the barriers yet that day. Carefully, Setsuna removed herself from the sound asleep heiress and sat up on the edge of the bed. She looked up to a window near the ceiling and smiled to herself. The swordswoman was about to head out into the hard pounding rain when she grinned to herself, realizing that she was actually looking forward to it. She stood up and cracked her neck and fingers, rolling her shoulders and flexing her upper back at the same time. With a final glance to Konoka to make sure she was still asleep, Setsuna quietly made her way to the main door. As soon as she felt rain hit her face, the half demon felt a rush of adrenaline. Setsuna tore off her shirt as she allowed her wings to burst out, almost glowing in the dark night.

_...Time for little fun I think..._

With a quick sprint to the edge of the deck in front of the resort, the half demon was in the air with rain streaking off of her body in streams. Setsuna glanced back at the resort for a moment, smiling as she thought about the sound asleep princess she left behind...

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The next morning found a very tired and battered looking Setsuna sitting at a table, waiting for breakfast. When she returned from her late night, storm rushing adventure, she was greeted with two very angry looking sets of bi-coloured and brown eyes. The swordswoman got an earful from both the heiress and the orange haired warrior about her long absence and about her soaked and tattered appearance. Konoka was especially upset, laying it on think about how she could have died if the wind caught her the wrong way. Even Asuna had to admit that going out into the storm, alone, was a stupid idea. Setsuna was apologizing left and right, promising to never go out into a storm alone again, and that she was just doing it to make sure the barriers were fixed. Eventually, Konoka let it go and allowed her anger towards her protector to vanish. The heiress pulled the swordswoman down to the bed and told her that she wasn't to leave for anything, anything, for the rest of the night or so help her. Asuna waited until Konoka wasn't looking before giving her raven haired friend a thumbs up and a jealous smile; she wished she could have went out on the storm adventure as well.

Setsuna was on her third cup of coffee when Konoka came gliding up to her with a plate full of food. The swordswoman couldn't help but picture this exact same scenario, but in their own home with the heiress greeting her back from a long, hard day's work. Despite her rough appearance, Setsuna managed to squeeze out a sleepy, but still happy smirk. Konoka didn't notice as she placed the plate full of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of her protector. Without even a second glance, Setsuna tore into the meal like she hadn't eaten in days. Apparently storm chasing and barrier replacement takes a lot of energy out of half demon dummies. Asuna sat down next to them, lightly punching her best friend in the arm as she did. Setsuna looked up from her plate quickly, causing Asuna and Konoka both to laugh as they saw some pieces of scrambled eggs and a small strip of bacon clinging to her face. Everyone at the table joined in laughing as the swordswoman quickly grabbed a napkin to remove the breakfast, as well as her blush of embarrassment, from her face.

"Oh Set-chan..." whispered Konoka as she leaned close to her protector. "...Sometimes I wonder if you really are only half a bird demon..." She then giggled as Setsuna's exposed ears reddened while her face buried deeper into the napkin.

Asuna stuck her fork into a pile of eggs and shovelled some into her mouth. "Awww, common guys...I don't blame Setsuna, these eggs are pretty freakin tasty!" She continued to push eggs into her already full mouth; Ayaka gave her the first look of disgust since before leaving for the trip.

"...Isn't it weird that eggs taste so good...Even though what your eating is actually a chicken's placenta?..." asked Zazie with a blank stare while she juggled some oranges.

"...Annnnnnnnnnd I'm done..." replied Asuna, quickly spitting out what she had in her mouth and pushing the plate away from her; many of the others copying. "Damn it Zazie-san...why?...why did you have to go and say that?"

Without even turning to look at the irritated reaction on Asuna's face, Zazie responded in the only way she could. "...Knowledge is power..."

Everyone within ear shot groaned at their unusual class mate's answer, while Mana reached down to a holster attached to her thigh. With a poof, Zazie disappeared, leaving the class in awe as usual. Quickly taking her place was Satomi, who entered the meal hall out of breath, but also wearing a triumphant look on her face. She raced over to the crowded table and sat down in Zazie's now vacant spot, quickly pulling out some papers and dropping her cell onto the table.

"Oi, Satomi-san..." said Ku from a few spots down. "You're awful energetic looking for someone out all night..."

Satomi pushed her glasses back up her nose with a smirk and stood up. "That's because I just solved our rainy day boredom issue!" She paused for a moment to take in all the questioning looks before continuing. "Look, we all know that we're going to be stuck inside for at least another whole day right? It's not as horrible as it seems...I mean just look around for a moment. This building we're in is huge and even connects to that gigantic mass of a gym. There's so much area to be used. That's when it came to me...We are going to spend the day playing an epic, resort building wide game of Manhunt..."

"Manhunt?" asked Nodoka, a little scared.

"Yes, Manhunt..." replied Satomi. "You know, tag but mixed with hide and seek?"

"I friggin love Manhunt!" shouted Yuna. "We're playing in partners again, yeah?"

Satomi nodded. "Yes, traditionally it's played with teams of two with one team being IT. The safe spot, which you have to get back to, will be here in the meal hall. You'll be given half an hour to hide before the IT team comes looking for you..."

Makie waved her hand in the air. "...but, who's gonna be IT...no one likes being the IT group..."

Again, Satomi pushed her glasses back with another, even bigger smile. "I have that covered...you'll never guess what I came up with..."

Satomi picked up her phone and quickly sent what seemed like a text message to someone. She then placed the phone into her pocket and crossed her arms in front of her, apparently waiting for something to enter the room. Setsuna began to get an uneasy feeling swell up in the pit of her stomach as she took in the determined look in her genius of a class mate's eyes. She quickly shot a look over to Konoka and Asuna, who were also looking to her with the same uneasy feeling building up. Before any of them could get a word of a question out, the doors to the hall opened and revealed the fruits of Satomi's late night labour.

"...w...what the hell is that?" asked Asuna, staring at the tall and oddly elegant piece of machinery striding towards their group.

"...It...It kinda...looks something like Chachamaru..." began Konoka, slowly gulping. "...except much, much scarier..."

Setsuna eyed the robot from top to bottom and back up again; eyes instantly falling to its arms. "Uhhhh Satomi-san...Are those guns...on its forearms?"

The rest of the class turned their attention from the robot's small TV screened facial features to the powerful looking barrels resting on top of its arms. Once they all began to look closer, there were a few more awkward looking things placed all over the robot's body. There were a few smaller barrels located on each shoulder, what looked to be something sword like strapped across its back, and a weird looking antenna sticking out from the top of its head. Setsuna's hand automatically reached for her own sword, panicking when her fingers wrapped around air. She had forgotten that while on vacation, Yunnagi stayed in her room unless summoned with her chi. Cursing under her breath, the swordswoman sent her gaze back to Satomi along with the rest of the class.

"What?" Satomi asked with surprise. "No, no...those aren't guns...par-say...the big ones on the forearms shoot out nets, while the little ones shoot out sticky goo to help catch you. This is the IT team...I created her from an old military piece I had Chachamaru send to me from my lab. Pretty cool, huh?"

"y-yeah...cool..." mumbled Yue.

Setsuna stood up and moved closer to the robot, carefully examining its features. "...Alright, I get that it's meant to play the IT role, but won't that still leave you out of the game?" she asked. "I mean, you have to control it...right Satomi-san?"

Satomi reached back into her pocket and pulled out her phone, again texting another message. "This is the best part girls...I'm not controlling it at all. I've found someone much more suited for a job like this...you know, keep the game more exciting." She stopped as the face on the robot began to flicker and scramble on. "I'd like you girls to say hi to one of our favourite class mate's..."

Everyone, including Setsuna, gasped as the live video on the robot's face came into clear view. Nodoka grabbed onto Negi and screamed. "Oi, hello there... Negi bozu...shall we play a little game then?"

Evangeline's voice rang throughout the entire meal hall, loud and clear.

"Shit..." mumbled Setsuna through a face palm.

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Setsuna had Konoka by her upper arm and the two were now flying down the big eastern most hallway of the dramatically large building. The half an hour to hide was nearly up, and they had yet to find a solid starting hide point. As soon as the swordswoman had seen the gleam of Evangeline's eye pop up on the robot's face screen, she knew that they were in trouble. Satomi had managed to set up a wireless connection that spanned a few hundred kilometres from the vampire's cottage house directly to the antenna on top of the robot's head. Basically, Evangeline had complete control over every single one of the machine's movements. According to Satomi, the robot also had the ability to use some of the vampire mage's powers thanks to magic housing core; all Evangeline needed to do was say the phrases and it would be done. What worried the swordswoman the most was that the Evabot had a super sensitive human sensing radar. If they weren't careful, they would be found instantly; and who knows how that would turn out with that blonde vampire at the helm.

They rounded a corner and Setsuna spotted a perfect spot to stop and catch their breaths. She stopped in front of a pillar that hide a small crawl space, allowing Konoka to duck down and crawl in first. The swordswoman quickly took a look around, being sure to open her ears as wide as possible in order to listen for any sort of disturbance. It was an oddly disturbing, almost deadly silence that buzzed in her ears. With a final scan, she threw herself down and into the crawl space and quickly scooted herself against the back wall next to the heiress. After a few seconds of catching their breaths, the two began to calm down and talk for the first time since the game began.

"...wha...what the hell was Satomi-san thinking getting Eva-san to play the hunter?" asked Setsuna as she let her head fall back against the wall, eyes closing.

Konoka whipped at her forehead with the back of her hand. "I-I have no idea Set-chan. All I know is, Eva-san is extremely competitive and loves playing games...she's not gonna stop until she wins..."

Both girls groaned as they thought about the humiliating things the dark vampire mage had made them do whenever they lost a battle or preformed below par in their trainings. They knew exactly what Eva was capable of, and felt extremely bad for however had the misfortune of being caught first. Suddenly, Setsuna's sensitive ears picked up some sort of noise coming from down the hall to the left of them. Without thinking, she brought her pointer and middle fingers up to rest on Konoka's lips, signalling for her to be completely silent. Konoka was surprised and almost let out a small squeal until she saw her guardian slowly turn her head and gently shush her with her other hand to her own lips. The swordswoman then leaned closer to the opening of the space, keeping close to the side and being sure to listen intently.

_Wow...Set-chan looks so damn sexy when she's in stealthy protector mode...I'll have to keep that in mind if we ever get a chance t-..._

Konoka's thoughts were cut off when she heard the pounding of feet now loudly rushing to her ears. By the sounds of it, two of their class mates were quickly making their way towards them. Setsuna was desperately hoping that neither girl would notice their hiding spot, as there wasn't enough room for four of them to hide there. The two hidden girls held their breath and sat as still as they could as the feet slowly came into view.

"F-Fuka slow down a minute will ya?" yelled Fumika from a few paces behind her twin sister. "I'm pretty sure w-we lost Evangeline-san when Chizuru-san and Natsumi-san fell out of that room at her feet..."

Fuka didn't stop or even slow down like her sister had suggested. "N-no, we can't slow down now Fumika... we gotta win this one and prove once and for all that our brains match our bodies!" Fuka was referring to the fact that she and her sister had finally hit their body's "grown up" growth and development spurt, and now they needed to show they thought like adults too.

"Still Fuka, I think we're safe...We haven't heard anything for a few minutes now..." she replied.

Fuka suddenly stopped and turned to face her twin, trying to decide what to do next. "Fine...but we're going to hide in the bathrooms over there until we come up with a plan...alright?" She watched as her sister nodded in agreement before they made their way to the bathroom door.

Setsuna allowed her shoulders to drop as she took in a much needed breath. She was glad that it was the twins and not a group like Haruna and Kazumi; the twins could be a little dense and not very perceptive of their surroundings. She laughed to herself as she remembered some older memories of the sticky situations those two used to get into; one involving the swordswoman having to cut them down from the World Tree. Setsuna turned around to face Konoka and became slightly startled at the far off look the heiress had on her face.

"Uhhh...Kono-chan..." she began. "What's wro-..."

"Poor Natsumi-san...she has no idea what's in store for her..." breathed Konoka now closing her eyes. "Alas, we knew her well...a moment of silence if you please Set-chan..."

Setsuna fell silent for a moment before she realized what she was doing. "Gah! Kono-chan, she's not dead!"

Konoka was staring at the swordswoman, covering her mouth with both hands in an attempt to force laughter from bursting out of her. Unfortunately, it didn't work and the heiress fell on her side in a fit of laughter. "Se-Se-Set-chan! I'm s-sorry...y-you just looked so serious!"

Setsuna blushed and grumbled a little. "I couldn't help it...you looked so sad and serious yourself..."

Konoka slowly pushed herself off of the floor and gave her protector an unexpected hug. "Oh Set-chan, don't be mad...I'm sorry I tricked you." She stopped to listen to the swordswoman mumble something along the line of everything's ok. "...If it helps, you can at least know that you look really...cute... when you're serious..." Setsuna turned away from the heiress as her whole face light up.

_Did...did Kono-chan just say that I looked cute?...I mean, she's said it before... but something feels different this time...I don't really know what it is, but it's something...calm down, I'll just need to start paying more attention to Konoka's words from now on..._

Setsuna refocused and remembered the hostile situation they were still in. She carefully stuck her head out of the space and took a look around before quickly pulling back in. "Listen Kono-chan...we gotta move ok? If the twins were right about Eva-san only being a few minutes behind them, then we aren't safe here." She watched as Konoka gave a playful salute, which actually caused Setsuna to laugh. "...Alright, hold onto my hand and stay close ok? We move on three..."

The healing mage and half demon were on the move again, trying their best to stay out of sight and be as quiet as possible. Their goal was to make it back to the meal hall without so much as coming within twenty meters of the Evabot. Everything was going well, there was only a few times where Setsuna stopped and signalled for Konoka to hold up while she scouted out a new area. Suddenly, there was a loud bang that came from a few halls to the right. Panicking, the two girls ran to the nearest door. The swordswoman opened it, only to shut it just as quickly.

"Set-chan why aren't w-..."

"We...we can't go in there...it's occupied..." replied Setsuna with an embarrassed look. Konoka thought for a moment and seemed to understand that they may have just come across an intimate moment between a certain warrior and class representative. "We gotta get to another door...Over there!"

Setsuna grabbed Konoka's hand and quickly made her way to the doors leading out of the current section of building. The swordswoman opened them, quickly guiding the heiress inside and checking that they weren't being followed before shutting the door. Setsuna scratched the back of her neck in exhaustion as she continued to peak through a small crack in the door.

"Finally, it looks like we're safe here Kono-chan." began Setsuna. "No Evabot behind us."

Konoka on the other hand stood frozen in place as she took in the sight before her. She gulped quickly as she started to squeak out to the swordswoman. "S-Set-chan... she's not behind us...because s-she's right there..."

Setsuna, still looking out the door, let out a little laugh. "Oh come on now Kono-chan...I'm not falling for that one again. No matter how cu-..." Her mouth ceased to function as she turned around and saw, to her horror that Konoka wasn't joking with her.

The Evabot stood a good 50 feet from them on the other side of the wide room, leaning against a door frame with a playful yet wicked smile across its screened face. Setsuna went into a quick shock as the events from the movie last night, along with all her made up images, flooded her consciousness. She was snapped back into reality as her ears picked up the sweet and deadly giggle coming from the dark vampire mage.

"Well, look what I have here...if it isn't two of my most favourite trainees..." Evangeline controlled her metallic body to shift off of the frame and slowly move closer to the stunned pair. "I don't understand why it is that the two of you are so scared...aren't you happy to see me...technically...out of the school and enjoying myself? I'm having suuuuuuuuch a good time, I might just have to thank that Satomi-san for her brilliant idea."

Konoka was the first to speak. "D-don't get us wrong Eva-san...w-we're both more than happy to finally see you out on a class vacation..."

Setsuna slowly stepped between the heiress and the metallic vampire. "...It's just...you know, you're kind of...terrifying when you get competitive..."

Evangeline smiled through the screen as the gap continued to close. "Oh, don't be such babies you two...I already took out half of our dim-witted class, it was only a matter of time before I came across you lot...right?" she came to a stop about ten feet from the pair and raised her left arm in preparation to release a net. "...looks like I'm about to catch myself a niiiiiiiiice little birdie...eh Setsuna-san?"

With nowhere to run, the mage and half demon slowly raised their hands to surrender, waiting for the moment their humiliation would begin. Just as the Evabot clicked a new net shot into her barrel, a loud bunch of yells and screams came from nowhere. Within an instant, the robot was ambushed by team Mana-Kaede and team Yuna-Makie. Setsuna and Konoka looked on in surprise as their class ninja Kaede jumped on the robot's back and Makie expertly wrapped a rope around its legs. With a crash, Evabot came down.

"Wha-what are you guys doing?" asked Setsuna, eye twitching as she watched a pissed off robot struggle on the floor; it was still under Kaede's hold.

"We heard Evangeline-san's voice and thought we'd come and investigate." said Mana as she kept an eye on Kaede.

"Yeah, and then we totally saw that it was you two and decided to help out!" added Yuna.

"Yeah! Long live KonoSetsu!" cheered Makie after securing the rope.

Konoka giggled as she watched her guardian's eye continue to twitch with added vigour at this new statement. She gave Yuna a high five and thumbs up to the other three. "Thanks guys...if it wasn't for you, Eva-san would have us hanging upside down in just panties by now..."

"No problem Konoka-san..." replied Mana with a slight smirk. "I'll be sure to bill Setsuna later for my services."

Setsuna perked up for a second. "B-but...you didn't do anythi-..." She was interrupted by a loud smashing noise as Kaede lost her grip and was thrown across the room.

"Hurry up KonoSetsu..." began Makie as she ran to grab the emergency firehouse to tie up the robot. "Get your asses moving!"

Konoka didn't have to be told twice as she grabbed the still stunned swordswoman's hand and burst through the door they had came through earlier.

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Evangeline was sitting in a comfy chair facing a computer screen, cursing at the top of her lungs as she watched the ground meet her robot self's face. She had them...she had had Setsuna and Konoka within her sights, literally cowering before her mighty form. She had felt the rush of power surging from her to the magic housing core of the hunk of metal she was controlling. If she had only used magic to catch them instead of going for a dramatic and lame attempt, then maybe she would be gloating in victory as they received their humiliating punishments. The blonde haired vampire crossed her legs and folded her arms onto her chest, falling back into her chair with an irritated sigh.

"Stupid squinty eyed ninja...and damn that blasted Makie-san..." she mumbled as she reached back for the controls in an attempt to free herself. "As soon as I get this piece of junk up, they're all doomed!"

Just then Chachamaru entered the annoyed vamp's room, trying to hide a giggle as she watched her master freaking out at a computer screen. "Master, if I may be so bold as to say that right now...your age matches that of your body..."

Evangeline mashed all the buttons on the controller and began to yell at the screen; truly resembling a ten year old losing a video game. "Hey, watch it Chachamaru...or I'll have you melted down...GAH WHY WON'T SHE GET OFF?...HA! FINALLY, REVENGE WILL BE MINE!"

Chachamaru laughed as she left her master to her robotic rampage to fetch her some tea. She was glad to see her master so happy, especially since she witnessed the dark mage fall into a depressed stupor when the rest of their class left her for the trip. When Satomi had called the night before asking the android with a soul for a robot body transfer, Chachamaru had suggested that they get her master involved in the game somehow. It was her idea to set up wireless controls for Evangeline to interact with the robot, and it was also her idea to incorporate the use of magic. She remembered the look on her master's face when she had told the vampire that she would "technically" be going on the trip. Chachamaru smiled as the image of an excited and practically bouncing version of her master flooded through her memory files. She shook her head with a small laugh as the she placed the full teacup onto a saucer and began to make her way back upstairs to the vampire's room. She was greeted halfway, however, by a small and newly formed version of a sadistic doll.

"Heya Chachamaru...what ya doin there?" asked Chachazero, as she floated beside her "big sister".

Chachamaru rolled her eyes as she quickly tried to get away from the scary little pest. "Zero, you know that it's tea...I don't know why you keep asking me these stupid questions..."

Chachazero pouted her small doll lips. "Awww man big sis...I was hopin that our master had a hankerin' for some blood...good old blood...not this fruity scented hot water crap..."

"It's not...crap...Zero." replied Chachamaru as she continued up the stairs. "Tea is a very relaxing and refined drink...it's also a cultural staple of Japan...although I cannot seem to process as to why I'm telling you all this, since you don't seem to care regardless of what I say..."

"Hmm? Did you say something Maru?" questioned Chachazero as she pulled her attention away from the small blade in her hand. "I couldn't hear through all that damn boring coming out of your audio files..."

The android stopped at the end of the hallway and rubbed her would be temple; something she had seen Negi do hundreds of times when explaining work to her baka ranger classmates. "Zero...please...please don't go into the room and bother master right now ok? She is in the middle of something rather important to her..."

Before she had any time to calculate her reaction, the sadistic doll grabbed the teacup from her fingers and started to rush into the room. She yelled to her big sister that she wanted to personally deliver the tea to their master, earning her some brownie points that she could ask to redeem later for tricks when the class got back. Chachamaru quickly lunged into the air after her, smirking as her hand closed around a small leg. For a brief moment, the two were perfectly airborne and frozen in time. Unfortunately, that moment faded and the two came crashing down onto their master's lap causing her to fall backwards. The tea cup seemed to have a mind of its own as it skilfully flew through the air before coming to its final upside-down rest on Evangeline's computer. The liquid contents quickly sunk into the electronics and caused a small explosion as the whole set-up shorted out. Chachamaru gasped and Evangeline just sat there on the floor, eye twitching in disbelief while Chachazero sat there giggling.

"HA! I love a good explosion!" she cheered. "Get's me all tingly inside..."

Chachamaru facepalmed. "Zero...you're a doll...you don't get those feelings..."

"Oh but you do Maru!" she snickered. "I hear you recharging yourself at night...I didn't realize the name Negi could be said in so many different octaves..."

Chachamaru was about to say something in defence when Evangeline put her hand up to shush them both. "...you...do you realize what you've just done Chachazero?" she asked the little doll. Evangeline watched as she excitedly shook her head no. "You just shorted out the circuits for me to control a military grade robot with a magical core...military grade...magic..."

Suddenly, Chachamaru's eye's scanned out wide. "You mean to say, master... that the robot currently occupying the same area as our classmates...is going to revert back to its primary goal...of destroying anything that moves...and due to its magic, it's almost impossible to stop?" She watched as her dark master nodded her head in agreement.

Chachazero laughed a hardy yet evil laugh. "Well good...looks like I just made the vacation even better!"

Eva rolled her eyes and Chachamaru sat up in a panic as the sadistic and extremely excited doll began to prance around, singing something about cutting up each one of her master's class mates.

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Makie and Yuna were the first ones to slowly walk up to the stock still Evabot lying on the floor. They were curious as to why it had suddenly dropped to the ground after it had just seemingly won the upper hand. Mana and Kaede were close by, observing the robot while the trained assassin kept two loaded Desert Eagles locked on it. Makie stopped just short of the robot's head; Yuna however inched slowly closer and kneeled down beside it. Carefully, she reached her hand out and extended a finger to tilt the head to face her. It was quiet and its face screen was a flickering mess of static. Yuna gave it a few more pokes before smirking and standing back up.

"Looks like it's down for the count guys..." she said as she began to walk back over to the other pair with Makie. "Mark up another awesome victory for team kickass!"

Kaede laughed a little, but Mana was still unsure. "Yuna-san...are you completely sure that the Evabot is...dead?"

Yuna nodded after rolling her eyes. "Yep, totally out...geeze Mana-san, you gotta learn to relax a little. You know, not EVERYTHING is out to kill you. Besides, it's just a robot, what damage could it really do?"

"...Have you ever watched Japanese movies Yuna?" mumbled Makie as she looked back at the robot on the ground. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide as the static on the screen snapped out and was quickly replaced by a bright red screen. "...Uh...Uh guys?..."

"Gah, what is it Makie?" sighed Yuna as she was flexing her arms, still celebrating her victory over the mighty machine.

Before Makie could answer, Kaede grabbed her and Yuna and quickly followed Mana out of the room as the robot pointed its arm and shot at the place they were just standing. Yuna cursed in horror as she watched the floor where she just was disintegrate. Apparently, Satomi must have forgotten to disconnect the lasers guns in the old military issue robot and the magic that was stored in its core activated them, making them three times as powerful. The group of four rounded the corner just as the robot pushed its way out of the large room's door.

"CRAP CRAP CRAP!" yelled Makie. "What are we gonna do?"

Mana quickly opened a vent and directed the other three in before diving in and closing it behind them. She quickly pushed them further down the vent until she was sure they would be safe for the time being. "Right now, we have a huge problem on our hands. The guns I have on me right now won't so much as make a dent in that magic infused piece of scrap... we need to regroup and gather up Negi and the others before it destroys the place."

"Shit, what about Setsuna-san and Konoka-san? They went in the same direction that that robot assholes going..." asked Yuna.

Mana thought for a moment and looked over to her partner Kaede. She gave her a nod and slowly made her way around the other two and back to the vent entrance. "Kaede and I will track down those two...Setsuna should be able to handle herself regardless, but I don't know what that thing is capable of now. You two find Negi and get the others alright?"

With a final nod and salutes all around, the two groups split up and went off in search of their targets. Hopefully they wouldn't be too late and Setsuna was able to get away, keeping Konoka safe.

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Meanwhile, Setsuna and Konoka were slowly making their way around the large resort gift shop. The swordswoman figured that all the shelves and magazine racks would provide them some coverage until they sorted out their bearings and could continue on to the meal hall. She had managed to find an emergency fire exit map with the layout of the entire building up on the wall by a cash register. Setsuna was carefully looking it over, trying to see the best route to take from their current position. From what she could see, there was a hallway leading from the back of the gift shop, past the security office and from there directly back to the meal hall. It was perfect; they could make it without even having to worry about running into the Evabot or suffering through any humiliating events. She turned around to tell Konoka the good news, and was greeted by a sight worthy of the nosebleed that ensued.

"Hey look Set-chan! I found this cool Hawaiian girl outfit with the resorts name on it..." said Konoka with an evil smirk. "Isn't it cool?"

Setsuna quickly regained her composer. "Gah...damn air...making my nose all dry...s-sorry about that Kono-chan...I guess it is pretty cool looking, although I don't understand why they have that here...We aren't technically in Hawaii..."

Konoka rolled her eyes. "Geeze Set-chan...don't you know anything about geography? We're pretty much right beside it...plus it just looks tropical doesn't it?"

"Well yes...but..." Setsuna was trying her hardest not to stare at the nearly bare set of perfectly rounded breasts almost bursting out of a coconut top in front of her. "...I uh...I don't think it's safe for you to be running in something like that Kono-chan...maybe it's best if you...change back?"

Konoka pouted as she watched her protector quickly turn her attention back to the map. She was about to say something to her when she realized that Setsuna was right, there would definitely be an issue with running if she were to keep this get up on. Despite thinking about what another wardrobe malfunction would do to her beloved guardian, Konoka thought about what would happen to her if the Evabot caught her in it. Panic took over her body as she quickly made her way back to her clothes to change.

As soon as Konoka came back in her normal clothing, the two set out down the hallway. It wasn't long before they made it halfway down the extremely long hallway and just about past the security room. Konoka walked by humming to herself, while Setsuna stopped dead in her tracks. She had thought she heard something, a scream more like, coming from inside the security room. She automatically lunged to grab Konoka's arm and pull her over to the door. The scream was joined by a few others and some cursing. Slowly, Setsuna gulped and pushed the door open as Konoka tightened the grip on her arm.

"...It's just the security cameras..." sighed Setsuna with a hint of relief. Suddenly she focused on the screams that were still ringing from the TV screens. "What's going on? Who's...is that our class?...IS THAT THE EVABOT?"

Konoka quickly made her way around her protector and stared at the screen in front of them. She gasped as she took in the scene playing out in front of her. At this very moment, the Evabot was chasing down the cheerleaders, Misora, Akira, and Ako while shooting some sort of laser at them. The screams and curses were not out of fun, they were actually out of sheer terror. Setsuna quickly zoomed the nearest camera to the action into the robot's face. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of the bright, deadly red face of a killer robot. The swordswoman knew at that very moment, that Eva was no longer in control of thing she was staring at.

"Set-chan...Something's not right about that Evabot...right?" asked Konoka with a hint of worry in her voice.

Setsuna's heart thumped in her chest when she heard the scared tone in the heiress's voice. "...yes, you're right Kono-chan...by the looks of it, something must have happened on Eva-san's end to the main controlling mechanisms..."

"So basically what you're saying is that the robot...is thinking on its own?" asked the heiress slightly confused.

"More like, since its controls were messed with...It's forced to reboot to its original programming..." sighed Setsuna as she continued to watch her class mates evade the crazy hunk of metal.

Konoka slammed her fist down on the desk. "We can't just sit here Set-chan...we need to go help them!"

"...But Kono-chan...it's too dangerous...maybe I should ju-..."

"No, we go together..." interrupted Konoka with a determined look on her face. She watched as Setsuna looked at her in surprise. "I realize that you want to protect me Set-chan...but you need to know that I want to be there to protect you too, alright? I wouldn't know what to do with myself if anything ever happened to you...let me help you Set-chan...I worry too you know..."

Setsuna was stunned; she had no idea that Konoka worried about her the way she worried about Konoka. Her heart slowly began to thump loudly in her chest as her head screamed at her to keep focused.

_Does...Does Kono-chan...Have feelings for me?..._

"Set-chan? Helllllllo?" said Konoka as she waved her hand in front of the swordswoman's face. "Are we going to help now?"

Setsuna looked deep into the heiress's eyes for a moment, searching for any hint to confirm her question. She quickly turned away to hide a blush after she felt the feeling she was looking for. Taking a deep breath and calming herself, Setsuna offered her hand out to Konoka behind her. "Yes Kono-chan...let's go help out our friends...together."

With that, the two girls ran off back up the hallway, hand in hand...the half demon now having subdued her screaming thoughts of protest, and slowly embracing the idea of a world where bodyguard and charge might have a chance of being together.


	8. It Just Got Real Up In Here

**Alright, here's part 8 of G2GA! It's been a while, but I promise that my excuses of working on Power Play! as well as it being Mid-tem season are good ones. **

**Anyway, hope you all enjoy it!**

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**It Just Got Real Up In Here...**

"How the hell did my pants end up on top of the bookcase?" asked Asuna as she made a short run, followed by a jump to grab said pants from their high resting place.

Ayaka sat on the couch across from Asuna and giggled. She had already found most of her clothing, and was now waiting for her partner to get dressed. "I don't know, how did my panties end up torn in half and hanging from the ceiling fan?" she watched as Asuna finished putting her jeans on and turn around with an innocent looking smirk on her face. "...Though I suppose it's completely fine with you that I now have to finish this game without wearing any..."

"Funny how things work out eh?" replied the orange haired girl as she playfully gave her class rep a once over.

The two had been going at it almost as long as the game of manhunt had been playing out in the building around them. Asuna blamed the blonde for having it happen; she just had to look so attractive while running. In fact, if they hadn't managed to find the entertainment room when they did, it was almost certain that the warrior would have taken Ayaka right there in the hallway. At first Ayaka protested, as they were about to start a game and was concerned about the Evabot finding them while they were right in the middle of it; that thing did have a human movement and positioning system built into its' radar. Asuna just waved it off and explained that what they were going to do would be a lot more fun and eventful than anything that could possibly happen during the game...

Asuna was now wondering around the room looking for her last article of clothing. She was having a hard time trying to track down her shirt, and was sure that it wasn't thrown around like the rest of her things. She was positive that when Ayaka had started biting on her lip that she lifted it off herself and let it fall to the ground beside her. The orange haired girl was now standing at the spot in question as she tried to retrace their heated steps. Just as her eyes began to squint in frustration, Asuna heard a soft giggle come from behind her. Slowly she turned around to look at her not-so-innocent blonde accomplice.

"You know...I can really see the monkey coming out of you when you look irritated. Especially when you make your eyes go like that...it's kind of cute..." said the class rep as she reached behind her back. She slowly pulled out the missing shirt and began to twirl it around in the air. "You looking for this Curious George?"

Asuna sent Ayaka an evil smirk as she quickly made her way over to her. In one swift motion, Asuna left the ground and gently landed on the couch, pushing the blonde down on her back as she did. The orange haired warrior was now hovering a few inches away from her surprised partners face with both of her hands gently resting on Ayaka's wrists at either side of her head. Ayaka looked up to Asuna's eyes before turning away, a deep blush forming over her features.

_Gods she always looks so perfect with her shirt off..._

Asuna watched with intense and smouldering eyes as the girl under her continued to blush and avoid eye contact. She found it kind of funny that even after all of the times over the last few days they had seen each other wearing much less, that something as simple as this could still get Ayaka flustered. It was when the blonde was like this, that Asuna felt the most attached to her. Sure, all of the intense and fiery moments of sex were great; it's what she had always hoped to get from her oldest friend. However, there was something about seeing Ayaka like this that sent a deep burning sensation eating its' way through the warrior's chest. That same feeling had intensified over the last few days and Asuna was sure that she knew what it was. She often thought back to the conversation that she had had with Setsuna on their very first night here on the island. When the words formed in her head, Asuna knew that they were true and that she had to let Ayaka know. With a smile, the warrior slowly released Ayaka's left wrist and brought her right hand up to gently touch the blonde's chin. Surprised at how light and comforting the touch was, Ayaka turned her face back to look up and caught herself staring deep into her friend's eyes.

"Ayaka...I think...no I know..." she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, still smiling as she watched the confused look start to fade from the class rep's face. "...I love you..."

Ayaka was completely taken by surprise. She knew that Asuna had feelings for her but she never would have expected such a direct and strong confession to come from her long time friend. Her eyes grew wide before blinking shut with the forming of tears. The blonde had been hoping, waiting for a moment like this to happen for months now; even before leaving for the trip. With a small laugh and smile she wrapped her free hand around Asuna's neck and pulled her down for a long, passion filled kiss. When it broke, she brushed away some loose hair from the warrior's eyes while looking deep in them.

"...I love you too." she whispered with a smile as she watched Asuna do the same before wrapping her up in a tight hug.

Suddenly, the door to the entertainment room flew open causing both girls to look up from the couch in a panic. They were relieved however, when instead of the glowing face of Evangeline, they were greeted with the just as surprised expressions on the faces of Mana and Kaede. Asuna and Ayaka both blushed as they removed themselves from each other and sat up on the couch; Asuna quickly throwing her shirt over her head. The other two, still stood in the doorway, blinking in their stunned state.

"...it seems that we may have interrupted something here Mana-dono..." said Kaede after a few seconds with a smile.

"I had a feeling there was something going on between you two..." added Mana after shaking her head and smiling slightly. "Good for you Asuna-san..."

Asuna reached up and scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile. "Uhhh...thanks Mana-san..." She looked over to Ayaka who was still blushing and smiled at her before returning her attention to the two tall girls at the door. "Anyway, you guys sorta startled us when you busted in here...was there something wrong?"

Mana's face became serious as she remembered the reason for their urgent rush through the building. "We have a huge problem...the Evabot shorted out and has now reverted back to its' primary programming." She paused as a look of utter confusion came over Asuna. She face palmed and sighed before continuing. "Basically Asuna-san, the robot is running around on a murderous rampage, trying to take out any human that it comes across...Kaede and I were just on our way to try and track down Setsuna-san and Konoka-san because it was headed in their direction. Yuna-san and Makie-san went to find Negi-kun and the others..."

Both Asuna and Ayaka were up and off the couch in a matter of seconds and quickly joined Mana and Kaede at the door. Asuna clapped Mana on the shoulder once reaching her. "If Setsuna and Konoka as well as the others are in trouble, you can count us in. Let's go kick some tin can ass!"

The new group of four then took off from the room in search of their final two. As they ran, Asuna glanced to her side and smiled at Ayaka. They were now officially together, and for the first time in a while the warrior felt like she could take on the world with the blonde by her side.

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Setsuna held onto Konoka's hand tightly as the pair rounded a corner and continued to take off down the deserted hallway. Every so often, the swordswoman's head would go on a swivel as she kept her ears and eyes at attention for any sign of the now murderous rogue Evabot. The pair had made a final decision to take on the robot together and were now on their way to the nearest building exit in order to make it back to their rooms for their pactio cards and Yunagi. This was the plan that Setsuna had come up with, as trying to deal with the Evabot in their current state would surely end with one or both of them in smouldering pieces scattered throughout the resort. Konoka had also pointed out that they should try and either lore it to the gym or, if they could, get it outside so that they could try and avoid as much damage to the Yukihiro family's business as possible. The rain may also help them, as they were unsure if the robot's design had the ability to withstand the elements.

Konoka stepped up her pace to match with the swordswoman's so that she was now beside her. "Alright, so when we get to the rooms we both go grab everything we need separately so we save time. The rooms are right beside each other so it won't be too dangerous..." She paused as she watched Setsuna begin to protest about leaving the heiress for any period of time. Konoka just gave her a serious look, trying to reassure her that she would be fine for a few mere moments. Setsuna breathed out and nodded, waiting for Konoka to continue. "I'll be sure to grab Asuna's things too, that way when we run into them she can jump in right away. We need to try and rally up anyone we can while avoiding the Evabot, and if possible get it to follow us outside..."

"If worst comes to worst Kono-chan, I need you to allow me to lore it out on my own...we can't afford to have it hurt you, the class, or the resort." added Setsuna as she subtly squeezed the heiress's hand tighter. Ever since looking into Konoka's eye's back at the security room and finding that she had some sort of feelings towards the swordswoman, Setsuna went into deeper protector mode and began to feel squeamish the more she thought about having Konoka help.

Konoka noticed the hold on her hand becoming more restrictive. She smiled to herself, welcoming the nice feeling before becoming serious. "...And I can't afford to have it hurt you Set-chan...If we have no other way to get it outside then fine, but I'm not letting you do this on your own alright?" She finished by sending a bright and confident smile to her protector, causing said girl to turn and blush as they made their way to the end of the hall.

For a large building, Setsuna was surprised and kind of worried that there were so few places to exit. She was frustrated every time they rounded a corner and were faced with yet another long hallway. She was just starting to think that this had to be some sort of fire code violation, when there was a loud crashing noise followed by a door flying off of its' hinges a few feet in front of them. Before Konoka had a chance to blink or even scream in surprise, Setsuna grabbed a hold of her and threw them both into a dark closet. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving the pair alone in the dark.

To make matters all the more awkward for the swordswoman, the closet space was limited. She was now holding Konoka with her back up against the wall, both their bodies pressed tightly together with Konoka's mouth only centimetres away from her own ear. The swordswoman also noticed that in her panicked state, her wings instinctively tore out of her back probably preparing to take off if in danger. Setsuna's head began to swim as she felt Konoka's body tense up under her own and the feeling of the heiress's raspy breath brushing hotly on her ear. Slowly her mind began to wonder with those images of the two of them together, lips interlocking in heated desperation as either one started to reach for clothing. These thoughts were shattered when the swordswoman heard crashing footsteps make their way closer and closer to their hiding place. Setsuna now forced her rational thoughts to the forefront of her mind, becoming refocused on their current situation; after all, she needed to protect Konoka...that was her job and falling into thoughts like that right now would be going down the path she had always feared.

Konoka on the other hand was freaking out with the current position she was now in with her protector. Her head was about to explode as she took in the situation around her. The heiress's body was basically on fire as she felt Setsuna's body pressing into hers and holding her so aggressively against the wall. It was taking every bit of will power and common sense she had to keep herself from moaning out in pleasure or grabbing the back of her protector's head to pull her in for a hot, deep kiss. She also couldn't help but feel completely in awe when she noticed that the half demon's wings were out and were now folding themselves around the pair for added protection. This was just adding to the heiress's arousal and she found herself biting onto her bottom lip in order to keep her shaky breathing under control. Suddenly, she felt Setsuna's hand brush up along her side before its' finger gently came to a rest on her lips. Konoka almost lost it completely as her lip began to tremble.

"...Whatever you do, don't scream...and try to keep completely still, alright Kono-chan?" whispered Setsuna in a husky voice right next to Konoka's ear.

"...y-yeah..." was all Konoka could allow herself to slip out as she watched Setsuna's hand leave her lips and press against the wall by her head.

The metallic footsteps drew closer and closer as Setsuna's muscles tightened at the ready around her princess. At this point, she didn't care what sort of damage would come to the resort; if that thing opened that door and threatened Konoka in any way, she was going to take it out. She heard Konoka take in a sharp breath as the handle on the door slowly began to turn. Setsuna braced herself for whatever was going to meet them.

_This is it...I won't let it hurt her...I will end it faster than it can process what's happening to it...I will do it, no matter what it takes...for her..._

The door flung open and Konoka slammed her eyes shut as the horrific form of the Evabot filled the door frame. For a moment there was silence and Setsuna began to wonder what the hell was going on. Carefully, she turned her head just enough to catch the robot from the corner of her eye. From what she could see, it was standing there with its' face screen running some sort of diagnostics. She then realized that what she was watching was the robot's radar and detector hard at work analyzing the room. The only thing Setsuna could get a clear image of was its' targeting device frantically bouncing around, trying to find something to lock on to. She felt Konoka slightly shift under her as the two continued to huddle together in silence. A few more tense moments passed by before the robot made a sudden sporadic beeping noise before turning to head out the door.

"Room analysis complete...no humans detected...proceed with search..." boomed the Evabot as it made its' way down the hall.

Setsuna continued to hold Konoka for a few moments until she was sure the robot was gone. She suddenly realized that the direction her head had been turned to watch the robot brought her lips extremely close to Konoka's jaw. In fact, she was fairly certain that her bottom lip was currently grazing it. She slowly inched her head backwards and gulped while trying to build up her willpower and move away from Konoka. The swordswoman felt Konoka's body tense up under her again and decided that now was as good a time as any to remove herself from this tempting situation. She couldn't do this now, there was too much going on and she still didn't completely think that it was a good idea to be with Konoka in that way.

With a sigh she gently pushed back from Konoka and carefully moved across the small space to stick her head out of the door to check if they were clear. It was then that she took in the report the Evabot had given itself. "What did it mean by no humans detected? We were right there in front of it!"

Konoka stopped her head from spinning around with her thoughts of Setsuna's lips gently touching at her jaw and quickly focused. She put her hand up to her chin and thought hard for a moment before something caught her eye. She quickly moved over to her protector and gently took the tip of one of her wings into her hands. "Set-chan...you don't think that it couldn't get a read on us because your half demon blood interfered with its' radar, do you?"

Setsuna popped her head back in as she tried to hide the shiver running through her from her wings being touched. She thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "That could be, Kono-chan...I guess it was only meant to detect humans, and even with a magical core it seems to have the same mission... maybe Satomi-san focused more on magically enhancing weaponry instead of its' tracking system." She paused for a moment and thought harder, becoming deflated as her fears of lower status were becoming a reality. "That's the only reason I can think of that would prevent anything with magic to be unable to sense demons...be it full or half..."

Konoka watched as her protector's face fell. She quickly came over to her side and hugged her arm, causing the swordswoman to jump and blush. "Oh come on Set-chan...you're just as human as I am. No dumb robot's scanner will ever change that."

Setsuna smiled and hid her pain as she took the heiress's hand in her own before heading out the door. "We better get going...the others won't be as lucky as we were Kono-chan. The faster I get my hands on my card and Yunagi, the better..."

The pair once again flew down the hallway in an attempt to find an exit. Finally, after another ten minutes of running around, the half demon and healing mage found the main doors. Much to their surprise and relief, they also found Mana, Kaede, Asuna and Ayaka running quickly to meet up with them. For a few brief moments, Setsuna proceeded to tell the new group about their encounter with the robot; strategically leaving out her up close and intimate moment with Konoka. Asuna then added in the parts about the Evabot that Mana had informed her about which basically confirmed what the swordswoman had thought had happened with its' controls. It was then unanimous that the group would give their all and go through with Setsuna and Konoka's plan.

"Alright let's head out to the rooms!" cheered Asuna with a determined look as she punched the air.

"We need to be fast, there's no telling what that thing is capable of with most of our class either running or going into hiding..." added Mana as they all began to take off to their respective rooms.

Setsuna was still running hand in hand with Konoka when the pair, along with Asuna and Ayaka broke away briefly from the other two and came to a stop in front of the heiress's door. With a gulp and a quick glance around, the swordswoman unwillingly and slowly let go of her princess's hand. "Alright, I'll be right next store grabbing my things...please, be careful and cautious until I return Kono-chan..."

Konoka smiled as she tried to hide the fact that her heart was dropping out of her chest from watching the defeated and worried swordswoman turn and quickly head into her room. Her protector seemed to be a little more on edge than usual, and this made the heiress a little uneasy. She knew how Setsuna could get when she became focused on keeping her safe; she didn't want the swordswoman to do anything to rash without thinking about her own safety. Konoka sighed as she followed Asuna into her room, deciding from that moment that she was going to keep an eye on Setsuna and do anything within her power to keep her protector focused and safe.

Setsuna was quickly going through her bag, pulling out a wing friendly tank top to replace her torn t-shirt and hoody currently hanging onto her torso from earlier. She threw the damaged shirts to the ground and quickly yanked the new one over her head, cursing at her side pony for slowing her down this time. Within less time than it takes to release a breath, Setsuna was across the room making a grab for Yunagi. Finally, she felt like herself with her old friend at her side. Just as she was about to run out the door, Setsuna realized that she had almost left without grabbing her pactio card. Quickly, she ran back to her bag and opened up the protective side pocket which revealed her two cards. Without a second thought, the swordswoman picked up the one that had formed from that fateful day a few years back when she made her pactio with Konoka; it was a symbol of their connection as well as Setsuna's most treasured moment...their first kiss. She put it to her chest and took a deep and calming breath before taping it to her lips and then protectively placing it into her pocket.

_I'll do beyond my best to keep you safe Kono-chan... here's to hoping that everything will go alright, and to maybe...maybe having the chance to talk with you about our feelings when all is said and done..._

"Oi, Setsuna! Hurry it up, we're wasting valuable ass kicking time!" yelled Asuna as she poked her head in through Setsuna's unlocked door.

With a final roll of her shoulders and calming breath, Setsuna made her way out the door. "Just like training Asuna...first one to take it out wins...loser does push ups..."

She smirked as the orange haired warrior rose up her hand for a confirming yet competitive shake. Konoka watched on from Ayaka's side, hoping more than anything that everyone would make it through this safe.

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"So, you're saying that you two as well as Mana-san and Kaede-san were in the room when the robot went from somewhat friendly Eva-san to murderous killing machine?" Kazumi asked Yuna and Makie as their large group made its' way to the entrance doors.

Yuna caught up to the reporter and nodded. "Yeah, it was really weird...Maki-chan looked over at it lying on the floor and it totally went all sci-fi thriller on us and started shooting." She paused as Makie caught up and nodded her own head in agreement. "Actually, if it wasn't for Kaede-san...we probably woulda ended up as burn marks on the floor..."

"Well, I'm just glad that everyone's alright..." replied Negi from lower down the running group. "At least the other girls are safely hidden away for now... we still need to find that robot though..."

Makie sighed as they came to a stop at the front doors. "I just hope Mana-san and Kaede-san found KonoSetsu in time..."

Once Makie and Yuna had found Negi and the others held up in the theatre, the two burst out into explanations of what went down with the robot and how their two companions were still out there, tracking down Konoka and Setsuna. They were then determined to gather up the troops and head out to destroy the fun ruining robot. The rest of the pactio carrying girls looked on with disbelief as the two girls proceeded to give each other high fives in celebration of being able to outsmart military grade machinery. It didn't take much convincing after that to get the team up and out the door, ready to grab their pactio cards from their rooms.

"All I know is...Ayaka-san is going to have a heart attack when she gets a good look at what that thing did to her family's resort..." breathed Haruna as the group caught their breath. "I almost feel bad for what she would do to that Evabot if she got her hands on it after that..." The group collectively shuttered as the thoughts of torture ran through their minds.

Suddenly the group was interrupted by loud screams coming from down the hallway opposite them. Looking up, they saw that the twins were making a b-line for the protection of the group as they were being followed by the rapid firing monstrosity. Instead of stopping and joining the group however, the twins continued screaming and made their way down another dark and deserted hallway. The Evabot however, basically went into a frenzy as its' radar began to light up with a large group reading of humans mere meters in front of it. Panic struck throughout the entire group of girls, and even Negi seemed to draw a blank as to what their next move should be.

"Girls, quickly get behind me!" yelled Negi as he pulled out a collapsible wand and held it at the ready in front of him. "On my count, we head out the do-..."

Just then the entrance doors flew open, causing the group as well as the Evabot to freeze up and look for the source. With a bright flash of lightning the door frame was light up revealing in its' wake the scariest looking group of girls the world has ever seen. Rain was streaming down each of the members faces as they stared down the Evabot, unblinking as they watched it begin to come back to life. The very front of the group was lead by Setsuna, Asuna and Kaede who had all just called out their artifacts before the orange haired warrior kicked open the door. Right behind them was Konoka, who was at the ready for anyone in need of healing. Ayaka was at the heiress's side and was determined to lend a hand in any way she could. The only one missing seemed to Mana, but this was all part of the group's plan.

"That Evabot is soooooooo screwed..." whooped Haruna as she gave Yuna a high five.

"I got 100 meal tickets on Setsuna-san taking it out!" yelled Kazumi.

"I'll bet 150 on Asuna-san!" cheered Ku.

"WILL YOU GUYS STOP PLACING BETS, THIS IS SERIOUS!" yelled Chisame as she punched both betters on top of their heads.

Setsuna looked over to Kaede and gave her a nod, signalling to start their plan of action. In a blink the ninja was out of sight, leaving Setsuna and Asuna at the forefront. The Evabot was growing restless and decided that it was going to turn its' attention back to the original group it had detected. It was just about to make its' way towards Negi when suddenly it came crashing down on the ground. Kaede had reappeared behind it at the last possible moment and sent a kick to the back of its' robotic head, causing it to lose all balance. Within seconds it propped itself back up and was scanning around quickly for its' new target. Setsuna smirked as phase one was a success. Kaede was to attract all of the Evabot's attention by pissing it off, allowing for them to lore it outside. With a final glance back at Konoka, Setsuna took off towards the Evabot with Asuna right by her side.

"Time to play with the big kids now, you lousy excuse for a can opener!" shouted Asuna as she rushed the robot, making sure to throw in a few good hits to really get it going.

Setsuna came in fast and quickly hit the Evabot in its' screen face with the butt end of her sword, causing it to slightly fall back. Noticing that the Evabot was fully engaged in the group of three, the swordswoman called out to her companions. "Alright, we have its' attention...Fall back"

With one last blow to the robot's chest, Asuna turned on a dime and made her way out the door behind Kaede, Setsuna and their support team. Looking behind her, Setsuna smiled as the pissed off Evabot came flying out of the resort and into the storm. She was slightly irritated that the water seemed to have no effect on the robot's system, but she had a feeling it wouldn't considering its' military grade design and engineering.

_Guess this just means more fun for Asuna-san..._

They were aiming to get the Evabot out in the open on the beach where they would have plenty of room to move around and take cover if need be. It was also the perfect spot for Mana, who was hidden in one of the trees at the edge of the jungle, to make some clear shots without being detected by the robot. As the boardwalk began to give way to sand, the group gave one last shout of confidence before disbanding to their designated spots. Kaede and Asuna took off for the lower half of the beach while Konoka and Ayaka set up beside a cluster of rocks not too far away from the action. Setsuna meanwhile sped up and took a diving jump as her wings burst open and took off to the sky. Since the Evabot couldn't detect her, the swordswoman decided to use her half demon blood to her advantage and take it out from the air. The fight, if all went as planned, shouldn't take too long.

Within seconds the Evabot was on the sand and making a b-line for the warrior and the ninja. Its' laser cannons were at the ready and fully charged, pointed directly at each girl. Just like a machine gun, it began to send its' shots at them; both Kaede and Asuna easily dodging each one. In less than a second the tag team was up in Evabot's face, engaging in quick combat. Kaede was doing her best to keep it distracted while Asuna came in, delivering hard hitting blows to its' arms in order to destroy its' fire power. The warrior's face light up with a smirk as she heard the satisfying crunch of the first laser cannon snapping off. Unfortunately for her, Asuna's cockiness lost out as the Evabot's arm swung around fast and made contact with both her and Kaede, knocking them flat to ground. Konoka gasped and Ayaka screamed as they watched the two lay there on the ground motionless. The Evabot then sensed the two support girls and turned its' attention on them. Slowly, it started to make its' way over to the rock cluster.

Enraged that the Evabot took out her companions and so much as dared to cast a glance towards Konoka and Ayaka, Setsuna tore down from her spot in the sky. The rain was streaking off of her body and wings just as fast and flawlessly as it would if she were a jet. Keeping her eyes focused on the hunk of metal growing closer, the swordswoman raised her sword in preparation for impact. With one swift movement she swung it from her left hip on an angle up to her right above her head, satisfied with feeling of a clean hit vibrating through her. She watched as the Evabot flew several feet backwards, coming to a crash landing on the beach behind it. Setsuna quickly flew at it to check for damages, and was frustrated when she saw that she had barely so much as made a scratch across the Evabot's chest. Apparently, the magical housing core had infused with the robot's titanium armour to create a shield barrier. With an angry sigh, the swordswoman landed on the ground and made a charge for the now standing robot.

Konoka had made her way over to Asuna and Kaede and with the help of Ayaka, they took both girls back to the rock cluster so she could heal them safely. As she preformed her incantations, the healing mage was sure to keep an eye on her protector. She had watched in awe when Setsuna came streaking down from the sky and delivered her usually devastating blow. To her, the swordswoman looked perfectly beautiful when she was engaged in combat. She couldn't help but stare with unblinking eyes as Setsuna came down, in slow motion in her eyes, like an angel delivering a wicked punishment. Konoka had no doubt that her protector was perfectly able to take care of herself during battle, but she still couldn't help but worry about her safety. She paused in her spell for a moment as she caught sight of Setsuna dodging a flailing metal arm. The robot still wasn't able to detect her, but was reverting into random firing and protection mode when it felt itself being struck by the invisible force. She gulped and continued to bring her two friends back to consciousness, thinking that it was probably more dangerous that Setsuna couldn't be detected. At least if the robot could sense her, Setsuna would be able to counter it's attacks with ease; at this rate, the hunk of metal was dangerously flailing around as it grabbed or shot at the air trying to rid itself of its' attacker.

Every blow that Setsuna dealt to the confused Evabot was leaving less than desirable results. She couldn't believe that this pile of scrap was lasting this long in battle and that her years of training were basically being mocked with every unsatisfying hit. She watched as one of her swings made contact and caused the Evabot to fly backwards and crash against a nearby piece of driftwood, causing it to burst into bits of splinters. As it lay there, Setsuna's ears picked up the sound of shots being fired and smiled as she thought about Mana's bullets piercing through the armour and weakening it so she could come in and rip it apart. After listening to a full clip burst out from the trees, Setsuna stood there with her mouth gapping as she watched the Evabot stand up without so much as a crack or dent showing on its' body.

_You have got to friggin kidding me... it's not possible for this to be immune to shots from Mana, it's Mana for gods sake! Damn it, when I get my hands on Satomi-san later I'm going to kill that mad scientist for ever thinking about combining military engineering and magic together! There has to be something we can do...maybe it's got a weak spot?_

Setsuna took off to the sky again, stopping just a few feet above the Evabot's head in order to get a good look at it. From what she could see, all of the robot's joints were covered and protected by large pieces of armour; making it impossible for any sort of weapon penetration in those areas. She flew a little closer and dodged a swinging arm as she made her way behind the Evabot. After a few seconds of searching, the swordswoman's eyes light up as she saw the only promising looking spot. At the base of the Evabot's neck, there looked to be some sort of opening where it was meant to be recharged from. Setsuna thought that maybe, if they could hit it in that exact spot, they may have a chance of bringing it down. She quickly took off to Mana's hiding spot to tell her about the new development.

"...I can't believe that I paid all that money for these titanium piercing bullets and they didn't even work..." mumbled Mana to herself as she watched Setsuna come flying towards her. "Stupid friggin robot..."

Setsuna quickly came to a stop and was still trying to keep an eye on the Evabot's position. She quickly turned her attention to the assassin as she saw that Asuna and Kaede were back up and heading straight for it. "Listen Mana-san, if you get another chance for a clear shot aim for the spot about four centimetres from the base of its' neck...it's the only weak point I can see." She watched as Mana gave her an understanding salute before settling back in behind her sniper rifle. Setsuna then flew off back to the fight restarting on the beach.

Asuna and Kaede were once again trying to distract the Evabot, this time being more careful to watch out for its' powerful arms. The warrior couldn't believe that she let the piece of scrape get the best of her and knock her out after only a few moments of battle. She rarely, if ever, got knocked out when she was fighting alongside Negi and was extremely pissed off that she had been bettered in front of Ayaka. She didn't want the blonde to worry about her and after regaining consciousness, she was given an earful from her about being more careful and less full of herself while she was out there. The warrior was about to make a snarky comeback out of frustration when she was cut short by the sight of worry in her girlfriends eyes. Ayaka was right, she really needed to concentrate more and not treat this like an easy game or practice battle. With a calming sigh, she apologized for her lack of focus and allowing herself to get cocky and promised that she would be more careful this time. Asuna watched as the class rep smiled and Konoka give her a comforting snuggle with her head. With a quick kiss to the blonde's forehead, Asuna winked and ran off to meet up with the enemy.

Within seconds Setsuna had joined her companions and was shouting to them to aim any possible blows to the unprotected spot at the base of Evabot's neck. The two girls saluted, showing that they understood before charging back into battle. While Kaede kept up a good distraction, Asuna and Setsuna tried to come in with blow after blow to the robot's back. At one point, Asuna thought that she had landed a clean hit. After backing off though, she noticed that she had only managed to break off a piece of exposed plug. At first she was frustrated, but then she realized that she had at least made the weak spot slightly larger. With a smirk she yelled to Setsuna that there was more than enough room now for a clean stab or bullet to make its' way into the Evabot. Her shouts were quickly followed by the sound of bullet clinking off of titanium as the Evabot sensed the shot and turned to deflect it. There was a loud curse sounding from somewhere along the fringe of the jungle.

Suddenly the Evabot began to glow and the group of three slowly fell back, unsure of what was to come from it. The glowing became brighter as the robot gathered all of its' magical energy to its' upper body. For a moment it was deathly silent, with only the sound of the rain falling on the ocean. Then, there was a loud boom as the energy was released, sending Asuna, Kaede and Setsuna flying in all directions. They appeared to be hit with some sort of mass deflection magic and were now all soaring through the air, landing in random areas of the beach and surrounding jungle. Setsuna landed with a devastating crash into a tree before falling motionless on the sand and grass beneath it.

Konoka screamed and shot up from her place of safety by the rocks and began to run towards her protector. The distance between them was too great and she completely threw all caution to the wind as she tried to pick up her pace. Ayaka was yelling at her to come back from somewhere behind her, but she wasn't listening. All she cared about was getting to her Set-chan. Suddenly, she was halted in her tracks when the horrific looking Evabot stood in place in front of her, completely blocking off her path. She cursed at herself for forgetting about that damn robot and stood there, glaring at it with enraged eyes. She pulled out her collapsible wand and pointed it towards the enemy. With a loud and emotional scream, Konoka let lose a powerful attacking spell she had picked up from Evangeline during their training sessions. It locked directly onto its' target and she smirked as she watched it streak across the small space between them.

In one quick movement, the Evabot pulled out its' sword-like weapon that had been strapped to its' back and easily deflected Konoka's most powerful attacking spell. She stood there in stunned disbelief as her magic burst in the sand to either side of the menacing piece of machinery. There was nothing she could do as she watched the Evabot lower its' sword to stabbing position and slowly make its' way towards her. Somewhere behind her, Konoka could hear Ayaka screaming for her to run. She could also hear the sound of bullets just missing their mark as the Evabot swatted them away with its' free hand. Their plan had failed, Konoka had failed, and now she would be dealt with as her protector lay unconscious or worse behind the murderous robot. Konoka shut her eyes as she felt the sword drawing closer, hoping that whatever happened to her came quickly because she didn't want to live if Setsuna wasn't breathing. She gulped as she heard the robot's arm lift back, preparing for its' ending blow.

CRASH!

Konoka's eyes quickly shot back open as she heard the Evabot drop the sword and fall to its' knees. She stood there in shock as she watched it swagger back and forth before its' face screen shorted out and it came to a final thud on the sand. She took her eyes away from its' dead looking face and brought them to rest on the scene in front of her. There, kneeling on one knee with her hands wrapped around the hilt of her magic infused sword, was a battered looking Setsuna staring with enraged eyes down at the spot where her weapon had penetrated through the Evabot's weak point. The rain was falling all over her tattered looking body as she breathed heavily in an attempt to calm down. Without a word, the swordswoman twisted her sword in a finishing movement to ensure the robot was dead before swiftly removing it completely. Konoka looked on in amazement as the rain bouncing off of her protector's wings basically caused her body to glow; she looked absolutely stunning. Konoka felt a rush of heat flow to her face as she felt the need to run up and wrap her arms around Setsuna and properly thank her for saving her life once again. Unfortunately, reality began to sink in and Konoka's body went into shock as it realized how close it was to dying. The last thing Konoka remembered before passing out was Setsuna looking up and making a quick lunge to catch her falling body.

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"Setsuna, I really think you need to reconsider..." said Ayaka as the group slowly made their way back through the rain to the resort building. "I think you're being a little to rash in your decision..."

Setsuna continued to stare off into the distance in front of her as she carefully cradled the unconscious heiress in her arms. He mind was made up and there was no changing it this time. "You don't understand Ayaka-san...it can't be helped." She took a quick glance down at Konoka's perfect and innocent looking face before shaking her head and pressing on. "Konoka Ojou-sama almost died because she risked her safety to come and try to save me. I can't have her willing to die for someone like me...it's for the best..."

Asuna quickly ran up in front of her best friend, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. "You realise that if you go back to avoiding her at this point that you'll be causing her more pain than that Evabot would have right? I can't believe that you're even considering this as a good idea!"

"She has a point Setsuna-san..." added Mana from behind her. "Clearly Konoka Ojou-sama would be devastated if you were to leave her now..."

Setsuna shook her head and did her best to lie to herself and the others. "I'm sure that Ojou-sama will eventually get over my absence and move on with her life. Besides, it's not like she has feelings for me anyway..."

Asuna quickly grabbed onto her best friends face and made her look at her. "Are you friggin shitting me right now Setsuna? Of course Konoka has feelings for you...why the hell do you think she's been so forward with you on this trip? It's friggin obvious to everyone except you apparently, but Konoka was trying to get you to confess your feelings to her!" She paused to take in Setsuna's stone face before continuing. "This girl in your arms right now loves you...you hear me? Loves you. She's been obsessing over you ever since you came back to her after our Kyoto trip back in junior high. If you leave her again, you'll kill her...fuck Setsuna...if you leave her now, you may as well have let that robot stick her with that sword..."

"Let go of my face Asuna-san...I mean it..." replied the swordswoman in a cold tone. "She doesn't need this anymore."

SMACK

Asuna lost it and cracked her best friend across the face with a well placed back hand. For a moment Setsuna stood in silence as tears of surprise and pain slowly built up around the rims of her eyes. The orange haired warrior stood there, glaring at the half demon. "If you leave her, you aren't the person who I thought you were...you're just some coward who's afraid to admit to herself that this girl and her love is exactly what you need in your life. You know what Setsuna...you need to just get the hell over yourself and realize that you're more to her than just some lowly half demon servant or just a hired protector..."

Setsuna was about to reply when she felt Konoka start to stir in her arms. She slowly looked down and watched as an innocent smile made its' way across the heiress's face. As she took it in, she began wonder if she could actually be away from her princess again like she was back then. She had grown so close to her over the last few years and really couldn't imagine being away from her. At the same time, the swordswoman couldn't let go of the image of the Evabot about to run its' blade through Konoka's heart. She didn't want the heiress to risk her life like that for her; it was only ever supposed to be the other way around. With a sigh she took her eyes away from Konoka and brought them back up to face her angry best friend.

"Fine...I will stay by Kono-chan's side..." began Setsuna as she shifted Konoka's light weight in her arms. "...But, I will not allow myself to get in the way...I just can't bring myself to cause her to be in those situations on my behalf. I am nothing more to her now than a friend...we can't be anything more..."

Ayaka and the other two were slightly relived that Setsuna was at least going to stick around, Asuna on the other hand was pissed off. She turned around quickly and grabbed Ayaka by the hand to pull her off towards the resort. "Suit yourself Setsuna...keep lying, see if I care...don't talk to me anymore, I don't want to be friends with someone who is hurting Konoka. Let's go Ayaka..."

The rest of the travel back to the resort was in an awkward silence. Setsuna couldn't believe that she allowed her feelings to tear apart her friendship with Asuna. She felt like a huge asshole and couldn't bare to bring herself to look at the still unconscious girl in her arms. She thought hard about her decision and was tearing herself up inside for coming on to strong with her choice. It was odd that only a short time ago, she was considering, even willing to finally talk with Konoka about their feelings towards one another. She also began to piece together the events between them over the last few days and noticed that Asuna was right about the heiress being so forward with her. She couldn't believe how oblivious she was towards her advances. Clearly Konoka cared for her, maybe even loved her like Asuna had said, but was she willing to risk everything and give into both of their wants?

_Maybe I should think about this a little before I make any rash decisions...Ayaka-san and Mana –san could be right about me regretting it later...and I definitely need to find a way to patch things up with Asuna-san...Man I'm such an asshole..._

She finally allowed herself to look down at the girl in her arms and sighed. If she really thought about it, there was no way she would ever truly be happy without being with Konoka. It was the one thing that her heart desired the most. She was going to seriously consider what her next move should be over the next little bit, that was for sure. She then glanced forward at the angry warrior in front of her, wishing that she could talk with her about it. Setsuna knew though that after a fight like that that she should give Asuna some time to calm down before approaching her. She wanted to make everything better, but she also wanted to be sure she was doing the right thing.

The swordswoman's thoughts were interrupted when their group had come to a stop outside of the meal hall. She was so wrapped up in her head that she hadn't even realized they were no longer out in the rain. Without so much as looking back at Setsuna, Asuna opened the door and stepped inside as cheers filled the air upon their return. Setsuna couldn't help but feel a sharp sting of guilt from not being acknowledged from her best friend as the orange haired girl made her way over to Negi to inform him on the battle. Konoka came too in her arms and stretched out, bringing the swordswoman's attention back to her. Without a word Setsuna gently sat the heiress down at a table and stood their beside her, watching from the corner of her eye.

"Guys, I'm so sorry about the malfunctioning robot..." began Satomi as she made her way up to the front of the room. "I got a little carried away with its' design and probably should have been careful and removed its' back up program and original weapons system...I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it Satomi-san." sighed Mana. "It's been dealt with."

"Besides, I'd be more afraid of what Ayaka-san's family will think than what we do..." mumbled Kaede.

Ayaka looked up from her angry and silent Asuna and shook her head dismissively. "Don't worry about it Satomi-san...it was an accident...besides, we're insured so it won't matter..." she sighed and tried to lighten the depressing and tension filled mood. "Anyway... did anyone end up winning the game after this whole mess?"

Yuna jumped up and laughed as she made her way over to the winning group. "Oh gods...you girls will never guess who came out on top of this one..."

To everyone's surprise, Yuna stopped directly in front of the winning group and proceeded to pat both girls on the shoulder.

"You've got to be kidding me..." mumbled Setsuna as she took in the sight of two very exited twins jumping up and down in front of the class.


	9. The Two Best Friends

**The Two Best Friends...**

Konoka lay in her bed back in her room, staring up at the ceiling. After last night's mess of events everyone had decided that it would be better if they all went back to their rooms instead of having another sleepover. The heiress didn't know it, but the real reason behind Ayaka coming up with the suggestion was because of the tense and stifling atmosphere created by Asuna and Setsuna after the fight they had had while she was unconscious. Konoka sighed as she turned over and glanced at the passed out orange haired girl in the next bed. She continued to watch as she replayed their return to their room from the main resort. For some reason, Asuna was noticeably irritated over something but wouldn't tell her what it was. The warrior had left Ayaka's side and made a grab for the heiress's hand, quickly pulling her out of the meal hall. She was very confused as to why Setsuna wasn't following them, and when she had posed the question to her friend, all she got in response was a murmur of what sounded like the word "asshole".

The sun was beginning to peek its' way in through the curtains covering the window and Konoka was becoming restless. She wanted more than anything to know what was going on between Asuna and her protector and was trying her hardest not to jump from her spot and attack the girl into confessing to her. The heiress was growing more and more ok with this idea and was about to get up when Asuna yawned and stretched out. As if knowing that her roommate was waiting to question her, the warrior grabbed the spare pillow next to her and wrapped it around her head, covering her ears from any oncoming questions. Konoka pouted and decided that it was time for a full assault if she was going to get to the bottom of this issue. She slowly stood up on her bed and on the count of three, jumped the small gap between the two beds into a full out pining flop onto Asuna.

"Gah, what the hell Konoka!" yelled Asuna as her friend came crashing down on her and began to grab at her protective pillow. "Get off...it's too early for this crap..."

Konoka continued to pull at the pillow, becoming more and more frustrated at the resilience her friend was showing. "It's not too early to tell me what the hell is bothering you and what it has to do with my Set-chan!"

Asuna rolled her eyes from under her pillow before mumbling. "Your Set-chan...yeah...right. Good luck..."

Konoka gave a final yank on the pillow case, removing the barrier and tossing it on the floor at the foot of the bed. She then stared down at the irritated Asuna who had slammed her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep. "Did you say something?"

"Can't hear you...sleeping..." she replied.

Konoka repositioned herself so that she was now straddling her friend. She leaned down and began to poke her in the face. "If you don't tell me, I'll keep being annoying and poke you so hard in the cheeks that it'll make Ayaka's hickies look like week old bruises..."

Asuna quickly reached up and grabbed her friend's wrist before expertly flipping her off of her to her side. "Geeze Konoka...It's nothing alright. Besides, I'm not the one you should be asking..."

Konoka blinked for a few seconds before flipping over on her side to look at her friend. Instead of seeing the usual happy go lucky Asuna, the heiress was greeted with a very sombre and dejected looking girl. She hadn't seen this side of Asuna for a very long time, and it always upset her to see the warrior like this. Something bigger than she had thought went down last night, and she was now determined to find out what it was. Konoka quickly wrapped her arm around Asuna and gave her a comforting hug before getting up and heading to the bathroom to get ready. Once she was finished, she came back out and found Asuna lying in the same position that she left her in.

"Hey Asuna..." began Konoka as she moved closer to her. "I'm going to go find Set-chan and talk to her alright?"

Asuna huffed in irritation as she turned over to face away from her friend. "Do whatever you want...not like it's going to change anything..."

Konoka's face seemed to twist with a look of pain from Asuna's last words. She couldn't help but feel a little bit betrayed by her best friend as she made her way out the door. When she thought about it though, there had to be some reason for Asuna's doubts. Hopefully talking with Setsuna would straighten everything out and go more successfully than what the warrior had so forcefully predicted. With a sigh she made her way past her protector's room, knowing she would most likely be out training.

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Setsuna was sitting alone on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean that was right on the beach. She had been here all night, sitting with in the last bit of rain, deep in thought. After watching Asuna leave angrily with Konoka the night before, the swordswoman decided that it was time to seriously consider her options and try and figure out a way to patch things up with her best friend. She had been starring off the cliff and past the ocean as she watched the sun begin to rise in the now clear sky. Soon, she would feel the warming comfort of the sun wash over her guilt ridden and rain soaked body. She sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chest and watched the light reflect off of the water below.

_How could everything have come to this? I've never, ever fought with Asuna-san before...it's probably the worst I've felt about someone who isn't Kono-chan. I can't believe I reacted so badly last night, especially when everything Asuna-san said was true...If I left Kono-chan, I really would have killed her..._

She reached down beside her and picked up a loose rock, feeling it in her grip before winding up and throwing it with all of her frustration put into it. The swordswoman was once again torn between what she should do. Leaving Konoka was no longer an option, as she quickly tore that from her mind as soon as Asuna told her off last night. The only few options she was left with was to either stay where she currently was with Konoka and continue on with her silent suffering, or suck it up and tell her everything. Her head wasn't making it easy, as every thought possible was fighting amongst themselves for their spot at the forefront of her mind. Setsuna continued to pick up rocks and hurl them into the ocean as the thoughts got louder and louder. Not being able to take it anymore, the swordswoman found the biggest rock she could find, raised it over her head and ran at the edge with it. With a loud yell, Setsuna sent the stone flying through the air, sending the screams in her head with it. She leaned over panting, watching with satisfaction as it crashed into the water below. She continued to smile as she lay down on her stomach, allowing for her arm to dangle off the edge.

_I need to think of something soon or else I'm going to end up losing both of them as friends..._

"Hey Set-chan!" came a loud call from somewhere on the beach below. "Is that you up there?"

Setsuna's ears perked up and she raised her head to look over the edge. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw that Konoka was looking up at her, a giant smile could be seen despite being so high. "Y-yeah It's me Kono-chan...hang on a second ok?" She watched as Konoka gave her a nod before pulling herself back over the edge into a sitting position.

_I bet she's here to talk about what happened between Asuna-san and I last night...crap what do I tell her? There's no way I can let her know that I had considered leaving her again...maybe I'll just tell her we had a fight over something stupid? Maybe I'll bring her up here so we can talk...gah! But about us, I don't know!_

Setsuna got up and stretched out before relaxing to let her wings ease out of her back. She allowed them to shake out before taking a run at the edge, going into a short dive before evening out and gliding into a slow spiral around the girl on the beach. The half demon then came to a graceful touchdown in front of the heiress, who had been standing there watching intently every movement she had made through the sky. Setsuna couldn't help but let a small blush run through her cheeks as she felt like some sort of celebrity being gawked at. One thing was for sure; Konoka definitely knew how to make Setsuna feel like she was something special, despite how she felt about herself.

"I've been looking for you all morning." began Konoka with a hint of worry still in her voice. "I mean, I knew you wouldn't be in your room because you usually train at this time of day...but when I didn't see you in the gym or on the beach, I thought that maybe you left..."

Setsuna's heart began to break as she heard Konoka's voice betray her by cracking on her last word. She knew Asuna was right about her princess being torn, even by just the thought of her leaving. She sighed as she gently took the worried girl's hand into her own. "I would never leave Kono-chan...no matter what happens, I never would...promise ok?"

Konoka gave a small smile as she looked down to see her hand in the swordswoman's. "Ok."

With a sigh of relief that Konoka was feeling slightly better, Setsuna swept the girl up in her arms before taking off into the sky. Within seconds, she once again landed gracefully on the cliff edge. Setsuna carefully and gently, placed Konoka down on her feet before guiding her away from the scary looking edge. She then walked past her and sat down on the grass where she had been all night, motioning for Konoka to join her. The heiress quickly accepted the invite and swiftly made her way down to sit alongside her protector. It was quiet for a few moments as the heiress took in the breath taking view surrounding her. She felt her chest begin to tighten and her heart begin to race as she realized that she was sharing this moment with the one girl that meant everything to her. Konoka looked up with a smile to the swordswoman, but had it quickly fade away as the same sombre expression that Asuna had had was plastered all over Setsuna's face.

"Are you alright Set-chan?" asked Konoka as she pulled herself closer to the girl in question. "I know that something happened between you and Asuna-chan last night...if it helps, I'm a really good listener..."

Setsuna gave a small smile and laugh as she turned her head to look at the expression on her princess's face. "It's nothing really Kono-chan. Asuna-san and I just got into a fight after the battle last night over something...stupid...and now she won't so much as look at me..."

Konoka wrapped her arms tightly around Setsuna's arm and snuggled into it. She knew that whatever had happened between them more than likely had something to do with her, with the way her protector was dancing around the issue. The heiress decided to go along with it. "Well, Asuna-chan can sometimes be stubborn when it comes to something important...maybe the fight, to her, wasn't something stupid? Although, her and I have gotten into some stupid fights over the years where we ended up not speaking for a few days... we made up eventually though."

Setsuna starred off at the ocean again. She knew that her fight wasn't actually something stupid, but she wasn't about to tell Konoka that. Surprisingly, she shifted her weight and allowed her head to come to a rest on top of Konoka's. "I do know that the whole thing was my fault, and that I would do anything to make it up to her. I just don't know what to do...she won't listen to me at this point. How am I going to get anywhere near her without her brushing me off?"

Konoka quickly brought her attention back from swimming around from the sudden, almost cuddle that she was in with her protector. She thought hard for a moment before an idea popped into her head. "You say she won't listen to you huh? Well...what about an extremely cute, mini version of you?"

Setsuna sat up and blinked, allowing the idea to slowly sink in. "You don't mean..."

Konoka giggled as she began to stand up. "Not even Asuna-chan can resist the slapstick charm of mini Set-chan...besides you promised to let her out more." She watched as Setsuna begin to protest but quickly give up. With a smile Konoka continued. "I have a great idea, I just need a few hours to teach her the routine..."

"Yeah, I guess you're right Kono-chan..." began Setsuna before pausing as she reached into her pocket. Her eyes then shot up to the chocolate haired girl. "Wait...routine?"

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"Asuna...are you actually going to stay mad at Setsuna-san like this?" asked Ayaka as she watched her warrior girlfriend heatedly pace back and forth from her spot on a lounge chair. "...I mean, by the look she had on her face last night after you told her off and took Konoka-san away...I think she's come to realize that we were all right..."

Asuna continued stomping around, stopping only briefly so that she could attempt to kick a rock loose from the sand. Unfortunately, it was bigger than she had thought and heard a sickening crack as her toe made contact. "GAH! STUPID FRIGGIN ROCK! THIS IS ALL SETSUNA'S FAULT!"

Ayaka rolled her eyes. "I don't think Setsuna went out of her way to place a rock in the sand in hopes of you coming across it to kick Asuna...were you even listening to me?"

"Course I was..." grumbled the warrior as she sat on the ground to cradle her throbbing toe. "Somethin' about looking at faces at night or somethin'..."

The blonde facepalmed and threw a flip flop at Asuna, smirking as it made contact with the back of her head. "Seriously, sometimes you really are a ridiculous Baka Ranger..."

"What the hell was that for?" yelled Asuna as she spun around with the intention to stare down the class rep. She stopped dead however when she was greeted with a terrifying look. "Whoa..."

"Look Asuna, I understand why you were upset last night." Ayaka started calmly. "I would feel the same way if I saw one of my best friends hurting another best friend in the same way she is. However...don't you think that maybe, especially with the way Setsuna-san is, that she's done nothing but beat herself up about it since then? I bet she didn't even sleep last night..."

Asuna sat in the sand in silence as she thought about it. If it was one thing aside from the swordswoman's feelings for Konoka that she knew about, she definitely knew that Setsuna had probably been killing herself over their fight. She also knew that the probability of Setsuna getting any sleep since watching her tear off from the resort with Konoka was non-existent. The more it crossed her mind, the guiltier she felt for her rash reaction. At the same time, a voice in the back of her head kept reminding her that Setsuna wasn't going to "man up" and let Konoka know about anything. In fact, Asuna was most likely going to have to be the one to end up telling the heiress that her beloved guardian decided to have nothing to do with her outside a friendly relationship. She would then have to sit and watch as her friend and roommate broke down in front of her, balling her eyes out for what would be days if not weeks at a time due to a broken and betrayed heart. The warrior punched the sand directly beside her in a huff.

"At this point, I really don't care Ayaka..." said Asuna angrily as she stood up. "You don't know what's in store for Konoka because of all this. Setsuna deserves to suffer this out...alone."

Ayaka sighed and lay her head back down against the chair. "Sometimes, you can be so hard headed and stubborn..."

Meanwhile a few meters away from where Asuna and Ayaka were conversing on the beach, an odd group of three were watching from the fringe of the jungle. It had taken Konoka a few hours, but in the end she was finally able to teach mini-Setsuna the routine she was supposed to present to Asuna as a form of apology on behalf of her regular sized self. At first Setsuna was hesitant, she wasn't sure if this plan was going to work at all. It wasn't until she saw the look of determination on her smaller self that she slowly began to change her mind. She watched on as Konoka gave mini-Setsuna some last minute pointers before she was to head out on the beach.

"Alright so you remember you have to pull out Set-chan's note to read first right?" the heiress asked as she reached up to pat the tiny swordswoman on her head.

Mini-Setsuna squinted under the touch of Konoka's hand with a smile. "Yep yep! I'm kinda worried though Kono-mama, since Setsuna wouldn't let me practice reading it..." she pouted and sent a look to her bigger self.

"Aww now mini Set-chan...you know that big Set-chan gets embarrassed and nervous when she has to talk about...feelings..." replied Konoka as she hid the urge to send the regular sized protector a look of annoyed irritation in relation to her last comment.

"Yeah I guess...Ok I think I'm ready!" she cheered as she shot up a few feet in the air.

Setsuna was now starting to fidget nervously as she took glances over at Asuna on the beach. "I don't know if this is such a good idea Kono-chan...what if Asuna-san hates it and it just gets worse?"

"She already won't talk to you, can't get any worse than that!" replied mini-Setsuna happily, thinking she was helping. She hadn't, and now Setsuna was fidgeting even more.

"Alright mini Set-chan, just remember to have fun with it and do whatever you have to do to make Asuna listen to you and forgive Set-chan." smiled Konoka with a wink.

With a small salute, mini-Setsuna disappeared. Setsuna moved closer to Konoka in order to get a better view of what was about to go down. She glanced over to the heiress and saw that there was no worry in her eyes. "Kono-chan...you seem to have a lot of faith that mini-Setsuna will be successful..."

Konoka giggled a little, briefly looking to her nervous protector. She patted her arm gently and reassuringly. "Of course it's going to work Set-chan. It's from Asuna's favourite movie...there's no way she won't get a kick out of it!"

Back on the beach, the orange haired girl in question had made her way over to Ayaka's chair and sat down on the edge. She was now apologizing and pleading with her to forgive her for some nasty things she had said in response to the hard headed comment. The warrior put on a pretend sad face and was playfully poking at the blonde's bare leg, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her. Ayaka had already forgiven Asuna, but wasn't about to give up on a chance to tease her. She was now playing along by pretending to ignore her, trying her best to keep a straight face as she listened to the sad pleads. Just then Asuna grumbled and in an instant, jumped on top of the class rep and started to tickle her. Ayaka began to fight back, and soon both girls found themselves heating up as the atmosphere around them became intense with want. Asuna quickly moved in and was just about to start kissing Ayaka's neck when suddenly...

POOF!

The orange haired warrior let out a surprised yell as she rocked backwards and fell off the chair into the sand. Ayaka gasped at the same time as the sight of a small floating Setsuna popped into view. The class rep had never seen mini-Setsuna, but had some knowledge of the swordswoman's summoning abilities. She was now staring at the raven haired chibi while Asuna was trying to get off of the ground. Both girls were in shock, as the last thing they expected while in mid make-out was the sudden appearance of anyone, let alone someone who resembled their friend and the girl Asuna was currently fuming over.

"Oh my gods, she's so cute!" squealed Ayaka as she made a lunge for mini-Setsuna. "What is she Asuna?"

Asuna got up off the ground and brushed herself off in a huff before looking up at the small version of her friend. "That...is a small summoned version of Setsuna that that bird brain uses to help on scouting missions...must mean that she's trying to find me. Great, I really don't want to deal with this right now..."

Mini-Setsuna slowly nudged her way out of Ayaka's tight embrace. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair back before reaching into her small pocket to retrieve a piece of folded up paper. "Excuse me please miss Asuna-san...I come to you with a very important message from my master! It's some kind of note she wrote, I haven't read it yet but I bet it's pretty awesome if it's for someone like Asuna-san!"

Ayaka giggled while Asuna face palmed. "Did she actually send you to do this?"

"Yep! Now listen up 'cause I got something cool I gotta show you too!" cheered mini-Setsuna.

"No, I'm not doing this...I'm leaving." started Asuna.

Ayaka quickly shot up from her spot and grabbed the warrior's arm. She looked at her with pleading eyes. "Oh come on Asuna...give mini Setsuna-san a chance...she's just too cute and it would be extremely rude to walk away when she has something important to tell you."

Asuna took in the sight of the glass rep pouting in a similar way that Konoka did whenever she wanted something from the swordswoman. With a sigh, she nodded quickly and turned her attention to the chibi waiting for her cue. "Fine...I'll listen to what you have to say..."

Mini-Setsuna pumped her fists excitedly as she flew a few feet higher in the air and did some flips in celebration. Then she quickly flew back down to eye level of the two girls standing in front of her before clearing her throat and unfolding the paper. "Asuna-san...I would like to send you my deepest apologies for the way I acted the previous night. You and the others were right. I wasn't thinking and said some things that I had no right in saying. You were especially right about what my actions would have done to a certain third party and I know that I would never be able to live with myself if I caused any pain. I promise to get to the bottom of my thoughts and, one way or another, put everything out there. Please accept this apology as I don't know what I would do without a best friend like you..."

Ayaka's eyes were glistening with tears as mini-Setsuna finished her speech. Asuna however, stood still and emotionless as she took in everything the note had said. She could tell that Setsuna was being sincere with her words and that it sounded as if the she had, in fact been up all night thinking. The warrior had to admit that she was somewhat relieved to hear that despite the swordswoman's final decision, she would at least tell Konoka everything. Asuna was still pissed however, because she felt like the decision her friend was going to end up choosing would be the easy way out and she still wouldn't be with Konoka like the warrior wanted her to be. Anger was still coursing through her as the ideal image of Setsuna and Konoka heading off into the distance together, slowly began to fade away.

"And now for the best part!" yelled Mini-Setsuna.

"Huh...what?" said Asuna as she snapped out of her thoughts.

"You mean there's more?" asked Ayaka excitedly.

Mini-Setsuna gave a little smirk before landing on the chair above Ayaka's head and taking a seat. She cleared her throat and made a few random noises before settling in. Asuna watched as the cute chibi version of her friend began to sing slightly off key.

"We're the two best friends that anyone could have, yeah! The two best friends that anyone could have. We're the two best friends that anyone could have, and we'll never ever, ever, ever leave each other!" she got up and flew to Asuna's shoulder and put her little arm around the warrior's neck. "We're the best two friends that anyone could have, I mean the two best friends that anyone could have. Sing it Asuna-san! Cause we're the two best friends that anyone could have and we're the two best of friends!"

Ayaka giggled as she watched red wash all over Asuna's face in embarrassment as the mini-Setsuna tried to get her to sing along. "Come on mini-Setsuna...is this really..."

"Ooooooo, now I get to lay down a phat beat...look out 'cause it's about to blow up right here!" cheered mini-Setsuna.

"Did she just say she was going to drop a phat beat?" asked Setsuna from the bushes with her fingers rubbing her temples.

Konoka giggled. "Yep, I told her to have fun with it didn't I?"

Back on the beach, Asuna watched in awe as the mini version of her friend proceeded on with her performance. The little swordswoman now pulled out a small pair of sunglasses and flat brim baseball hat that she had stored in a little carrier bag Konoka had given her. The chibi pulled the hat sideways pulled her pants down slightly to make them appear baggier.

"Excuse me pretty girl with the blonde hair, but could you possibly throw me a beat?" she asked Ayaka, who was completely taken by surprise. She laughed and nodded as she decided to go along with it, ultimately making Asuna squirm even more. Mini-Setsuna began to bob her small head in time with the beat coming from Ayaka's mouth before continuing on. "Yo yo, can you check it out? I hope that we can be back in action. Best friends for life, we won't take in distractions. Asuna-san, you can tell it like it is, but please just remember that it's bitchin' to forgive, YEAH! Uh huh...wooo! This one goes out to all my twin tail friends out there! That means you bright eyes!"

Asuna couldn't help but smile as she watched the mini-Setsuna rap in a horrible, yet very cute fashion. She had an odd feeling that Konoka may have had something to do with this; she would have to thank her later for setting her straight. The warrior began to bob her head along with the chibi swordswoman as she made up in her mind that all was forgiven and that she would let the real Setsuna know they were on good terms once more.

"Alright mini-Setsuna, you win...I forgive your bigger self." smiled Asuna as she watched the little gangster Setsuna grab onto her pants that were falling off. "I can't stay mad at her when she sends someone as awesome as you to cheer me up and make me see what I'd be missing."

Mini-Setsuna gave a whoop and did a back flip before she began to shout in celebration. "We are back, we are back, we are back in action! Back...to go to the resort and everyone be happy! We are back to being bestest friends, back back back woooo!"

"I never should have told Konoka that The Hangover was my favourite movie..." sighed Asuna while she watched the excited chibi fly around.

"Oh face it Asuna...there's just no way you could ever really stay mad at Setsuna-san..." began Ayaka as she got up and wrapped her arms around the warrior from behind, giving her a kiss on her neck as she did. "Especially with this cute little thing giving such a good show."

"Yeah you're right..." said Asuna as she blushed. "Damn that Setsuna..."

Konoka noticed what seemed to be a good change in mood from the scene on the beach. She quickly grabbed her protector's hand and tugged her out of the jungle and across the sand. Setsuna was nervous and was trying to look anywhere but towards the orange haired warrior that they were slowly closing the distance to. Her head was starting to race with the things that Asuna may say to her, and she was trying to prepare herself for anything that could possibly come. She had assumed that the warrior was going to be irritated with her for sending a mini version of herself to work things out instead of sucking it up and coming to her on her own. She gulped as they came to a stop just a few feet in front of the two girls and the little swordswoman. There was silence as the small group stood there, nothing but the waves coming in and crashing on the shore to insure that time hadn't stopped. Sensing her protector's nerves, Konoka sighed and gently pushed her forward. Now Setsuna stood only two feet away from Asuna, still trying to avoid eye contact.

"Uh...Asuna-san...I'm really sor-..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the orange haired warrior left Ayaka's hug and jumped forward, wrapping her own arms around the swordswoman's neck. She pulled the surprised Setsuna in for a tight hug as the other two girls watched on. They were like that for a few seconds before Asuna finally felt her hug being returned by strong arms around her waist. The warrior smiled and did her best to try and keep any tears from escaping her eyes.

"Sometimes you're even more of a baka than I am Setsuna..." whispered Asuna into her friend's ear. "But you aren't the only one who has some apologizing to do. I'm sorry for freaking out on you, I just want you two to be happy..."

Setsuna was also trying to hide her emotion as her nerves finally gave way and allowed for her body to relax in her friends embrace. "It's fine Asuna-chan...sometimes I need a good smack across the face to wake me up and realize what I need to do. I stand by what I said in that note. No matter what I finally decide to do when it comes to having or not having a romantic relationship with Kono-chan, I will tell her how I feel..."

Asuna squeezed her tighter. "Well good...and don't worry about going at it alone...I promise that I'll be right there beside you, no matter what alright?" She smiled as she felt Setsuna's head nod against her cheek.

Just then, the two best friends were joined by two more sets of arms being wrapped around them. Ayaka and Konoka had been watching the exchange of whispers and shared touching moment from the two girls in front of them. After some tears of their own were shed, they had decided that it was now time for them to start a group hug. Even mini-Setsuna found herself in a tight embrace as Konoka's hand wrapped around her little wrist and yanked her down into her waiting arms.

"Alright, alright...enough with the sentimental moments..." sighed Asuna happily as she tried to gently push everyone away.

"Agreed, we can't have too much of a good thing..." replied Setsuna as she sent a smile to her best friend.

Konoka pouted but moved away slowly. "Aww, and I was just starting to enjoy hugging mini Set-chan and everyone else!"

Setsuna's head spun around quickly as she realized that her mini self was nowhere to be found. "Speaking of mini-Setsuna...where did she go?"

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone began to look around the beach. The chibi Setsuna had only just been there a few seconds ago, so she couldn't have gotten very far. Panic was beginning to wash over Konoka as the thought of the little thing being lost set into her mind. Then suddenly, there was a small noise of someone calling out for help. It was faint and hard to place, but Setsuna's ears quickly picked up where the voice was coming from. Red flashed across her face as her eyes settled on her class rep.

"Uhhhhhhh...Ayaka-san..." began Setsuna in a small voice. "Umm...could you possibly...reach down into your tank top and...remove mini-Setsuna, from your chest..."

Asuna laughed as a look of embarrassment flashed across Ayaka's face. Quickly, she reached down and pulled out the chibi swordswoman from her cleavage and listened as the poor thing quickly gasped for air. Somehow, she must have gotten caught up in the class rep's shirt when the group hug was happening. Konoka quickly rushed to her side and held her while she recovered, sending Ayaka an unnoticed look of jealousy as she did.

"This...this is why I can't take you anywhere mini-Setsuna..." sighed Setsuna with a smile as she tried to hide a laugh. She watched Konoka fawn over he chibi self, thanking the heiress in her head for all of her help today. Hopefully soon, she would come to a decision on what to do with her feelings and then find a good time to talk with her. She had made a promise with a special friend, and she was certain to keep it.

"Hey, let's go find the others...it's getting closer to dinner time and I wanna see if anyone wants to get a few rounds of volleyball in before we eat." said Asuna as she grabbed Ayaka's hand and started to head towards the resort.

"Yeah sounds good to me!" replied Konoka.

"Yeah..." added Setsuna. "It sounds good to me too."


	10. That Was Unexpected

**Well, we're coming to an end here kids...it's been a great run. Only one, maybe two more chapters left to go. I hope you all enjoy this and I also hope that once this is completed, you continue to read Power Play! **

**These two...Gah!**

**Also, keep an eye out for another story coming up when I get closer to completing P.P.**

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**That Was Unexpected...**

"Annnnnd that's game point Yuna-san!" called Asuna from her side of the volleyball net. The warrior then made her way over to her best friend and partner Setsuna in order to give her a congratulatory slap on the back. She then looked back over to the other team and gave them a thumbs up. "Great game girls, maybe next time you'll be able to put a beating on us."

Yuna helped Makie up from the sand where she had made a solid yet desperate attempt at diving to save the ball. She helped to brush off her pink haired partner before sighing and turning her attention to the winning team. "Man, first I lose the poker game to you, now volleyball too? Geeze, is there anything you can't do Setsuna-san?"

_Well... there is one thing I can't do..._

Setsuna laughed awkwardly as she continued to point out in her head that she was still unable to make her mind up about her decision on what to do about her situation with Konoka. Since making up with Asuna just a few short hours ago, the swordswoman became completely determined in focusing on this very important priority. She had made a promise, not only to herself, but also to Asuna that she was going to let the heiress know about her feelings one way or another. Her only problem was that both ways seemed to have their equal share of pros and cons, making it near impossible to easily choose. For example if she chose to let Konoka know that she loved her but decided that it was in both their best interests for them to remain as friends as opposed to a couple, Konoka would be protected and could still be seen as a high status heiress. Apparently, this was still something that Setsuna thought was important to her charge. On the other hand, if she choose to let Konoka know about those same feelings but instead engaged in a romantic relationship with her, the two could very possibly end up extremely happy together. She knew that this was something that they both wanted, but was afraid that it could be the wrong choice, ultimately setting them up for failure.

There was also that age old possibility feared by many people who end up in relationships with their closest friends; what if something happened and it didn't work out? The swordswoman began to play around with this scenario just as Asuna began to gather up their classmates for a volleyball tournament. She had wondered what would happen if she was to somehow make Konoka unhappy with her, would the heiress still want her around? There was no doubt that she would continue to guard her from the shadows, but would Konoka ever want to be friends with her again? What if she grew tired of the swordswoman at some point and broke up with her, and then found someone else? Setsuna knew that she would be heartbroken, but would still serve no matter who the heiress ended up with. In the end, the swordswoman kept falling back on the idea that she was no good for the heiress and that she would just end up getting in the way of her finding someone better. Just as she would start to lean towards the first option, Setsuna would catch sight of the beautiful chocolate haired girl in question from the corner of her eye, causing her heart to melt and her brain to go back into spasms. The choice wasn't easy, it was a full out battle between her heart and her head.

Luckily for Setsuna, the whole class turned out for the volleyball tournament and all seemed to be excited and eager to play. This was going to be a nice, much needed break from her thoughts for the swordswoman, even if it was only for a few hours. She welcomed the focus on the games instead of her own thoughts with open arms; there was no sense in stressing herself out about it right now, she would have plenty of time for that later. Since it was close to dinner time, the class had decided to throw a BBQ outside on the beach right next to the makeshift beach volleyball court. Now they could continue on through the late afternoon having fun without missing the chance to stuff themselves with Satsuki'a volunteered cooking. With the win over Makie and Yuna under their belts, Setsuna and Asuna remained undefeated, and now Asuna was happily jumping around in celebration being sure to brag about her team's amazing abilities. The swordswoman on the other hand, was beginning to turn slightly red from embarrassment and started to scratch the back of her head awkwardly as her team mate went around boasting to the other girls.

Mana shook her head and laughed slightly as she turned her attention away from the over excited warrior to Kaede, Konoka and Ayaka. "Perhaps it would have been a better idea to have kept Asuna-san angry with Setsuna-san...the two of them together brings out some rather annoying traits in Asuna-san..."

Kaede slightly opened one eye and smirked as she glanced over to her friend. "Ah Mana-dono...you're just still irritated that they beat us. Aren't you?"

"They just got lucky that time is all!" replied Mana quickly under her breath. She was still trying to figure out how a team like those two could beat a trained assassin and a ninja in any sort of sporting event.

Konoka giggled as the two taller girls next to her engaged in a heated battle of sarcasm and wit. She eventually returned her gaze to her protector and her friend still out on the court and couldn't help but smile as she took in Setsuna's face. "Poor Set-chan, she really isn't good with showing off or being in the spotlight. You think she'd be used to Asuna's antics by now, but it seems like she never will. It's cute to see her all embarrassed like that though..."

"Yeah, Setsuna-san may be looking cute, but Asuna is really laying it on thick isn't she?" asked Ayaka while she stared at her girlfriend who was now calling out for any one strong enough to challenge her and Setsuna. Suddenly, the class rep had an idea. "Oh Konoka-san...it seems as though our girls out there need to be brought down a few notches. What do you say to going out and having a little...fun...with them, hmm?"

Konoka quickly looked over from Setsuna to Ayaka and noticed the evil expression that had made its' way onto the blonde's features. Slowly it dawned on her what sort of "fun" the class rep had meant. "I think that's a great idea Ayaka-san...but you know, if we're going to play beach volleyball, we should really play by the rules..."

With a wink the two girls ripped off their t-shirts and shorts to reveal their "not meant for jumping around in" bikini's. They both smiled to each other evilly as they made their way over to the court, unnoticed by the still bragging Asuna or the timid looking swordswoman. Ayaka was more than happy to teach Asuna some sort of lesson. Konoka on the other hand was just looking forward to having a little teasing time with her protector, as it had been a while since the last time she had a chance to cause Setsuna to pass out in spasms.

"Is there anyone out there with the guts to challenge the awesome and undefeatable team of Asuna and Setsuna?" shouted Asuna, still oblivious to the fact that they were about to be joined by such a group. "Anyone at all? Come on guys, put the food down and let's have a serious game!"

Setsuna had noticed that most of their classmates were looking past her and Asuna's current position and began to wonder what it was they were looking and giggling at. Slowly the swordswoman's gaze followed that of the rest of the group, eyes growing wide when they met their mark. Her heart began to race as she tried to reach up and grab Asuna's shirt sleeve. Her fingers grasped at nothing for a few seconds before finally latching onto the hem of the warrior's sleeve.

"Asu...Asuna-san...I think you need to stop bragging right now and turn around..." whispered Setsuna.

"Geeze what's the problem Setsuna? It's completely fine for us to bask in our awesomeness every once in a while..." she replied as she started to turn around. Asuna stopped dead in her tracks however, when her own eyes fell on what Setsuna was warning her about. With a gulp, the warrior stared at her nearly naked girlfriend and her roommate come swiftly striding towards them. "Aw crap, we're in for it now...Setsuna, please...please get a hold of yourself before we get our asses kicked...let me deal with this." She whispered to the swordswoman.

"Uhhhh...o-okay..." replied Setsuna as she concentrated on keeping her jaw from dropping or having the sudden appearance of blood erupt from her nose.

Asuna gave Setsuna a quick reassuring jab to her side with her elbow to get her to straighten up just as the deadly duo came to a stop in front of them. The rest of the girls were either giggling quietly or staring on in anticipated silence. Asuna cleared her throat and gave a serious and determined look to Ayaka. "So, what brings you ladies out to my court? Are you looking for a good old fashioned butt kicking?"

Setsuna slapped her forehead and mumbled to herself. "Damn it Asuna-san...this is not taking care of it, this is making it worse..."

Konoka smirked as Ayaka took a provocative step closer to Asuna. "Konoka-san and I couldn't help but notice how...lucky...the two of you have been out here. I mean, winning all of those games was rather impressive..." She came to stop right next to Asuna and gently placed her hand on the warrior's shoulder, making sure to run her fingers slowly over it. The class rep then leaned in to Asuna's ear smirking as she flinched at how close Ayaka's lips were to her. "I think it's about time someone showed you your place...don't you think?"

Setsuna watched on as her once cocky and boasting team mate was turned into a pile trembling mush. At the same time, she was trying her hardest to look anywhere but at the other girl standing in front of her. She knew that whatever was happening or running through Asuna's head right now would be a hundred times worse if she was to catch the eye of Konoka. The swordswoman was putting her all into concentrating on the upcoming game that was bound to happen once Ayaka was finished playing around with Asuna. Unfortunately for Setsuna, her heart had gotten the best of her, and her eyes made a quick dart for the heiress. Instead of the expected seductive stance or positioning she thought was going to meet her, Setsuna was surprised to instead see Konoka standing with one arm wrapped around her bare waist with her other elbow resting on it, hand cradling her chin as she glanced at her protector. It was odd, as Setsuna didn't know what Konoka was trying to get out of her with this new somewhat innocent stance; however, she did know that it was just as attractive as anything else she could have done. She was just about to bring her eyes back away from her charge in order to keep her mind from racing again, when she suddenly felt herself being pulled sideways by her neck into a weird hug.

"So how about it Setsuna-san?" began Ayaka as she pulled the girl in question as well as her warrior friend into her sides. "Does a final game, winner take all situation sound alright with you?"

Setsuna gulped as she stole a look at Asuna, who seemed to look slightly worried. Apparently while the swordswoman was wrapped up in looking at Konoka, she must have missed some sort of deal that went down between the couple. She then quickly looked back at Konoka, who now had a look of complete yet out of place innocence on her face. Against her better judgement and the voice of reason screaming inside her head, Setsuna closed her eyes and nodded a yes to her class representative. The rest of the class gasped and started to whisper amongst each other, causing the swordswoman to suddenly go pale as Ayaka let her and Asuna go to join Konoka on the other side of the net. Slowly, Setsuna's head started to come back to her as she leaned over to Asuna.

"Asuna-san...what the hell is going on?" she asked in a hushed yell. "What exactly was everyone whispering about when I agreed to this winner take all game?"

The warrior gulped and laughed awkwardly as she looked at her best friend. "Well...Ayaka decided that the game would be more interesting if we made a bet...and well, you know me, I can't turn down a bet. Anyway, if we win Ayaka and Konoka have to do whatever we want all day tomorrow, no matter what..."

"And, if we lose?" asked Setsuna, having a very bad feeling about what her answer was going to be.

"Uhhhhh...if they win..." began Asuna as she started to scratch the back of her head. "...If they win...they get to choose either one of us to go on a private, one-on-one date with one of them...of their choosing. I seem to have an odd feeling that it's going to end up being Konoka picking you and that, since she's running out of time to get a confession out of you...she's going to go all out..."

Setsuna's eyes grew wide with horror as she now realized why Konoka was giving her that out of place innocent smile. The heiress had tricked her into thinking that the game was nothing but for fun. She began to panic as thoughts of what lay in store for her if she lost came flying into her imagination. "Gah! What do I do Asuna-san? I'm not ready to tell Kono-chan anything yet! I need more time to make my decision!"

"Calm down bird brain!" hushed Asuna as she shot a worried look towards the other two girls from across the way. They were patiently waiting to begin the game so the warrior sent them a smile and a salute before returning back to the trembling mess in front of her. "Look, all we have to do is make sure they don't win right? I mean, look at us compared to them...we're clearly the better athletes yeah? Plus, we've already won all the other games, what's one more. All you gotta do is stay focused and keep your mind off of Konoka, alright? If you say you need a little more time to decide, then I'll be more than happy to give that to you so that you don't chose the wrong thing. Let's get through this so that we can start planning what we want them to do for us tomorrow..."

Setsuna sighed as she made her way to her spot behind Asuna. If only she had known what she wanted to do, their need to win wouldn't matter. She would have been more than happy, if not a little nervous, to spend the second last day with her princess on a date before coming clean with her feelings and telling her what she decided to do with them. Now, she felt like she was going to be rushed and forced into the wrong thing. The swordswoman spun the ball around in her fingers as she prepared to serve it. Asuna was right, now she needed to concentrate on the game if she wanted to buy herself at least a little more time to think things over. With a final deep breath and a few seconds to take in the cheers from her fellow class mates around her, Setsuna brought her hand back before swinging it hard and making the first contact of the game with the ball. The battle for time now began.

For the most part, the game seemed to be evenly matched which frustrated Asuna to no end. She couldn't believe that she had misjudged the athletic ability of her girlfriend and Konoka. Sure, they had gym classes together ever since she could remember; but for some reason she didn't see these two as any sort of threat. Now the warrior was cursing under her breath as their scores were climbing higher and higher together, with Asuna and Setsuna in the lead by only two points. The game went to twenty-one points and the warrior was starting to feel uneasy as they sat at seventeen with the class rep and the heiress scoring another point to bring them just one point shy of tying it up. She looked back to Setsuna and tried to hide her panic as she noticed a look of nervousness betraying her best friend. The warrior knew that Setsuna was worrying herself over making the wrong choice, and after working everything out earlier that day, Asuna knew that she needed to help the swordswoman in any way she could. No matter what it took, she would win this game for her.

Konoka had just served the ball over the net and watched it soar straight back to her protector. Setsuna quickly reacted and sent a volley over to Asuna where she set a bump pass up for the swordswoman. With a swift jump and a quick smack downwards, Setsuna sent the ball flying down at an odd angle. Ayaka dove downwards in an attempt to save it from the ground, but ended up just grabbing a piece of it before it flew off to the side of the court. The ball landed out of play, giving Asuna and Setsuna another point towards victory. Ayaka slapped down at the sand as she got up and sent a look of guilt towards Konoka. The heiress sent her a smile of understanding and winked at her, assuring her class rep that there wasn't anything to worry about. She had more than enough confidence in their ability to win this game and knew that one way or another, Setsuna was going to be going on that private date with her tomorrow.

_Besides, we haven't even brought out plan B yet..._

There was more cheers as both sides scored a few more points apiece and a loud eruption as a bad angled ball came at Setsuna, causing Ayaka and Konoka to finally tie up with them at nineteen points. The game was becoming more intense now, as the fate of Setsuna lay in the spin of the ball. With a gulp, the swordswoman volleyed up the ball to set Asuna up for a long spike. The warrior made contact and sent the ball flying down towards the back of the other team's court. With a thud, the ball just barely stayed in the playing area, allowing for another point to be added to their score. Asuna pumped her fists and Setsuna sighed happily as they were now one more point away from winning the game. If all went well now, she wouldn't have to worry about the next day.

"Alright, let's win this thing Setsuna!" cheered Asuna as she made her way up to the front lines, allowing for Setsuna to move back to her original spot at the back. "One more nice serve and a good rally, then we totally got this in the bag! Set it up buddy!"

Setsuna nodded confidently as she once again swung her arm back and forced it up quickly, sending the ball sailing in a perfect arc over the net. Konoka was at the front and quickly made a move for it, knowing that any wrong step now would cost her the chance of being alone with her protector. She gently tapped the ball up wards for Ayaka, who sent it back and watched as the heiress slammed it down. Asuna dove and smiled as she saw the ball hit her forearms and make its' way over to the swordswoman. Setsuna bumped it just as Asuna shot up off the ground and sent the ball back over to the other side hard. The warrior wasn't expecting Konoka to be there as the heiress jumped up to meet her, blocking the ball in the process. With a mocking smack to the ground, Asuna watched as another point was added to Ayaka and Konoka's score. She cursed to herself as she saw the two girls dance around excitedly in front of her.

"Alright Ayaka-san we're almost there!" cheered the heiress quietly as Ayaka grabbed the ball that Setsuna had tossed over and made her way to the heiress. "I can't wait to spend the whole day, uninterrupted and alone with Set-chan...she will finally be mine!" an evil smile crept over Konoka's face as she rubbed her hands together.

"Whoa there now...we aren't in the clear yet..." whispered Ayaka as she broke apart the crazy girl's hands. "We need to get that last point, and I feel like it's not going to be an easy one...Asuna isn't going to give up. I think that it's time for plan B...with Asuna at the front, I think it might just work..."

Konoka nodded as she received the ball from the class rep. "Okay...plan B is a go. Thanks for taking one for the team Ayaka-san..."

Konoka shook out her arms as she made her way back to her spot in order to make what would be her last serve of the game. There was no doubt that their plan was going to work, and cheers of victory started sounding in her head. She took a deep calming breath as she lifted her arm backwards and coming back up with a hard swing.

_See you on our date tomorrow Set-chan!_

The ball went soaring to the net and Ayaka quickly engaged in Plan B.

"Oh my gods, my top is falling off!" yelled Ayaka

Asuna's ears perked up and immediately, her eyes tore away from the ball and towards Ayaka. "Wha-what's going on?"

Before Setsuna had time to react, as she was sure Asuna had the situation under control, the ball came crashing down beside the warrior with a thud. Time froze as a look of sheer terror spread across the swordswoman's face. It was over, they had lost and now she would be spending a whole day alone and unprepared with Konoka. Normally, this would be a blissful experience; but right now all Setsuna could think about was all the different thoughts in her head screaming at her to come up with a choice. She face palmed as she tried her best to snap out of it and caught the sight of Asuna falling to her knees in front of the now jumping around winners.

Setsuna walked over to her friend and offered her a hand to help her up. "Asuna-san...what...what happened? You had that!"

Asuna frowned and turned away, unable to look her best friend in the eyes. "I'm sorry I can't help it! I'm only human! It's not my fault that she threw them out there like that!"

Setsuna sighed and gave a small laugh as she shook her head. She wasn't mad at the warrior; she had tried her best to win for her this whole time. "You're just as bad as a fifteen year old boy, you know that? Come on Asuna-san...let's go congratulate the girls...and prepare myself for whatever may come tomorrow..."

The two defeated team mates made their way under the net and over to the class rep and heiress. The rest of the class was erupting in cheers and cat calls as they slowly began to realize that Setsuna would most likely be going on a date with Konoka tomorrow. They had watched the two of them since that year back in junior high when they reunited on that fateful trip to Kyoto. Everyone knew the feelings they had towards each other and were all excited to see if anything was to come from their time alone. The calls continued as Asuna and Setsuna came to a stop in front of Ayaka and Konoka. Setsuna sighed in her head before putting on a brave face and looking up to Konoka's eyes.

"Good game Kono-chan, Ayaka-san." she began as she bowed her head slightly before returning with a smile.

"Thanks Setsuna-san, you two did pretty well yourselves." replied Ayaka.

Konoka giggled as she glanced over to the embarrassed looking Asuna. "I can't believe our plan actually worked though...I mean really Asuna, you can see Ayaka-san's boobs anytime you want. I didn't realize you were such a little horn dog..."

"Konoka!" shouted the warrior she lunged playfully at her friend. "You're one to tal-..."

"Now now Asuna, she has a point." laughed Ayaka as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend and pulled her in towards her for a hug from behind. "You were being a little bit greedy, were you not? How about you and I go for a little...walk...and leave Konoka-san to collect her winnings?"

Asuna blushed slightly as she felt Ayaka's hand slowly creep up under her shirt and graze her back. "Y-yeah fine...good game Konoka." She paused for a second and leaned in closer to her roommate and close friend before whispering to her. "Please...go easy on side-pony tomorrow..."

With one last glance over to Setsuna in an attempt to show her support, Asuna made her way off up the beach with Ayaka. Konoka smiled in their direction and laughed, knowing full well what "go for a walk" meant before turning her attention back to Setsuna. She couldn't help but continue to smile as she saw the deep shade of red that the swordswoman was trying to keep from taking over her body. For a few moments the two stood there in silence as the rest of the class made their ways to various parts of the resort. Finally in a very surprising movement, Setsuna gently took Konoka's hands into her own. The heiress hide a gasp that threatened to escape as the realization that her protector made the first move sunk in. She quickly tore her eyes away from her hands and brought them up to the swordswoman's, falling instantly into them as she was greeted with one of the warmest smiles she had ever received from her.

"Well, looks like we have a d-date tomorrow, Kono-chan..." said Setsuna with a small shake to her voice. She was trying her best to keep herself under control, despite her mind racing at hundreds of kilometres per hour. She calmed herself and then continued on. "What...what exactly do you have planned for us to do?"

Konoka had many, many different scenarios running through her imagination when she heard the words leave her protector's lips. The heiress knew however, that most of them were a little far off, considering their status together. After thinking about it for a moment, she decided on a few simpler ones that she could have some fun with.

"Just promise to meet me outside of our rooms around mid morning ok?" she said with a cute smile.

"Yes Kono-chan..." began Setsuna with a slight yet still formal bow. "I promise, and will be more than happy to meet you in the morning..."

/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/*\*/

"Kazumi-san...are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Nodoka as she increased her speed to match that of the girl in question. "Don't...don't you think it's sort of...invading their privacy?"

"Well how else are we going to know what's going on with those two?" replied Haruna as she also tried to catch up with the reporter. "You won't use your diary to look into their thoughts so this is all we got!"

"Will you kids be quiet, you're gonna give us away!" hushed Chisame.

"Man, calm down Chiu-chan...you're just as curious as we are!" whispered Yuna.

After hearing that Setsuna was to meet Konoka around midmorning the following day, Yuna, Makie, Haruna, Ku, Chisame, Nodoka, Yue, Akira, and Kazumi had gotten together and decided to try and spy on them. Well most decided, Nodoka was forced to join by Haruna and Yue since she wouldn't let them take advantage of her artefact. Kazumi had just recently taken out her pactio card and sent her information gathering drones all over the island in hopes of catching the favourite pairing on their outing. It was just around mid morning when their small group made their way back into Kazumi's room and propped themselves around the journalist's laptop. She quickly opened it up and began to open up various windows, each one showing a different camera view from one of her drones. The one all eyes were focused on now, was the one currently hiding within a few feet from Setsuna and Konoka's rooms.

"And now we wait..." began Kazumi as she leaned back against the couch. "Let's just hope Setsuna-san finally grows a pair and does something..."

Setsuna was waiting patiently outside on the boardwalk in front of Konoka's room, looking up at the sky and taking in the warm sun on this second last day of their vacation. She yawned a little and began to stretch out; the swordswoman was up nearly all night, tossing and turning as her brain continued its' war against her heart over the decision on her feelings. Usually, a lost night of sleep was nothing for her, but this was the second night in a row that she hadn't been able to rest. Her worrying was slowly catching up with her and soon, she would fall into the danger zone of passing out. Hopefully Konoka didn't have anything too crazy planned out for the day and she could catch some rest. She was almost begging the gods for the heiress to want to spend the whole day lounging on the beach, but she knew better than to expect something so simple from her princess. Whatever it was, Setsuna was sure it was going to be a long day filled with surprises, as well as many attempts of seduction from Konoka.

The swordswoman didn't have to wait too long before she was joined by her princess. The door to the room quickly flew open, revealing a perky and extremely excited Konoka smiling towards her protector as soon as she caught sight of her. Unlike Setsuna, the heiress was sure to get to sleep early so that she would be plenty rested and full of energy for the date she had planned. She had decided that no matter what it took, today would be the day that she finally got Setsuna to confess her feelings for her. For her, the sooner the better would be nice, that way they could skip over most of their activities and get to the good, intense and intimate parts she had been dreaming about all night. Konoka happily skipped over to the waiting Setsuna and made a grab for her hand. She continued to smile as the two of them made their way up the boardwalk.

"So...what did Kono-chan have in mind for today?" asked Setsuna from beside her princess.

"Tons of things!" replied Konoka with an excited, childlike giggle. "First I thought that maybe we could grab lunch together on the beach and then head out to do some other things. I even had a cool idea that I think you'll definitely like...it's something right up your alley!"

Setsuna's interest got the best of her at the mention of the two of them doing something that she would find interesting. Despite wanting to ask what it was, the swordswoman thought it would be best to leave it as a surprise; she was also scared that the answer may be something a little more sinister than Konoka had made it sound. Setsuna put on her brave face, and continued on up the boardwalk.

Their first stop was of course, lunch on the beach. Konoka had grabbed a bunch of things from the resort's meal hall and stuck them in a bag to bring with them. She also managed to scout out what was thought to be a rather private cove for the two of them to relax in, but of course she had no idea that they were being followed the whole time by an assortment of spy drones. The heiress was also sure to drop subtle hints towards the swordswoman, everything from "accidental" hand touches, to skimming over Setsuna's thigh with her hand, to pretending to hide from a bee by throwing herself into Setsuna's arms. These attempts continued for the majority of the morning and early afternoon. There were several times when Setsuna thought she was going to lose it, but managed to keep a cool head and continue on nosebleed free.

It was late afternoon when Konoka grabbed onto Setsuna's arm excitedly and told her that the next thing they were going to do was the surprise for her. The swordswoman gulped hard and tried to keep clam as the ecstatic chocolate haired girl began to tug her back down towards the beach. She had no idea what was in store for her and was thinking that Konoka, despite a few good attempts, was acting oddly behaved. There had to be something aggressive hidden up her sleeve, the swordswoman just knew it. Hundreds of different scenarios flooded into her vision on what the surprise could possibly be. Her body began to heat up as some of the more detailed ones began to stick in place. She was just in the middle of one thought concerning her being forced down into a chair in a boathouse naked and blindfolded, when the two came to a stop.

"Alright, here it is Set-chan!" cheered Konoka with a bright smile. "I really hope you like it. It's something we can do together!"

Setsuna shook her head and snapped back to reality. She then looked from Konoka to the sign in front of them and then back again. Suddenly, the swordswoman became extremely excited. "Kono-chan...are we really going to do this? This is so...cool!"

Konoka giggled as she took in the rare sight of her protector looking like a kid on Christmas morning. She took the chance to sneak in and steal a tight hug and nuzzle to the side of Setsuna's face before continuing. "I knew that you'd love it Set-chan! It's not every day that we get a chance to learn how to surf!"

Setsuna blushed at the touch of the heiress's cheek on her own. She quickly pulled back and cleared her throat before scratching her head. "Y-yeah...this is definitely going to be something to remember."

Konoka laughed and once again grabbed the swordswoman's arm, pulling her inside the surf hut. Once inside, the two were greeted by a friendly surfing instructor; a tall light brown haired woman who looked to be only a few years older than the two. She grabbed them a board each and told them to follow her out to the beach in order to begin instruction. Setsuna was practically bouncing around with excitement, she couldn't wait to hit the water and give it a try. When they were finally set up on the beach, she was sure to pay extra attention to the movements being shown to them and the best and fastest way to get up on the board once they managed to catch a wave. The swordswoman was also sure to ask any questions if she wasn't sure about things like footing or weight distribution.

"You're probably the only customer I've ever had who was this interested about how technical surfing is." laughed the instructor. "It's refreshing to know that I'm not just rambling on..."

Setsuna laughed back. "I just get really intense when it comes to learning new things. I'm like that with everything."

Konoka watched on as her protector and the surf instructor continued to exchange words over techniques. There was something about these little exchanges that was eating at her. She couldn't help put want to jump in and steal Setsuna away, or even somehow do away with the instructor. She was starting to think of ways to get rid of her when it suddenly hit her that all these thoughts were ridiculous.

_Am I...am I jealous? There's no way Set-chan would ever be into this girl...right? Of course not, she loves me...she's always loved me...still though..._

The heiress pouted as she continued to watch the friendly exchange between Setsuna and the instructor. Konoka was now determined to make sure that her protector's attention would be on her, no matter what it. Jealousy mode had taken over, and she wasn't about to let some tall busty surfer girl distract the swordswoman from their date. As soon as they hit the water, she was going to show up this girl; despite it being her first time and this girl was paid to teach people like her. An hour later, the heiress smirked evilly to herself as she picked up her board and followed the instructor out into the water, being sure to position herself between her and Setsuna.

"Alright so I want you guys to lie down on your boards like we practiced and start paddling out. Make sure to duck under a smaller wave when it comes in or you'll get pushed back to shore." shouted the instructor from over her shoulder.

"Right!" replied Setsuna as she looked over to Konoka. "Are you ready Kono-chan? Ko-Kono-chan?"

Konoka had already lain down and taken off in a fast paddle in front of Setsuna. The swordswoman looked on speechless, watching as her charge was getting further and further away from her into the deepening ocean. Her stomach began to turn as she thought about how dangerous this could be and how reckless the heiress was being. She had no idea why Konoka would take off like this and do something so out of character. She began to paddle faster in order to catch up.

Konoka had just resurfaced from slipping under a wave. She quickly shook the water away from her eyes and turned her head back to catch a glimpse of Setsuna. She smiled to herself as she saw her protector come speeding towards her, effectively leaving the instructor's side. She continued further into the water and began to scout out the horizon for the right wave. If she could just be the first one to grab a ride, she knew that she would succeed in impressing Setsuna and instantly gain all of her protector's attention back from the instructor. She dove under one last wave before coming to a stop and sitting up on her board, waiting for her chance to come in.

"Hey, does it seem like Konoka-san is pissed or something?" asked Ku out loud back in Kazumi's room. They had been sitting around watching the laptop screen for hours now, and this was the first time any of them had spoken.

Yuna leaned in for a closer look. "Yep, that girl definitely seems irritated about something. No idea what it is though..."

"I didn't notice anything to cause it, did you Akira-san?" asked Makie

Akira shook her head. "Nope, I don't think so...of course we could have missed something..."

All the girls suddenly shot their attention towards the laughing pair of girls sitting directly in front of the screen. Kazumi and Haruna were both shaking their heads and holding their sides, trying their hardest not to burst out into huge fits of laughter. The girls continued to stare on, becoming more and more annoyed with every second that their friends left them out of the circle.

"Will you just tell us what's up already?" asked Yue as she shook her head in irritation.

Kazumi stopped laughing and tried to calm her breathing back down before continuing. "How can you guys not see it? It's so obvious!"

The girls continued to look confused. Sensing they weren't going to get it, Haruna decided to put them out of their misery. "Konoka-chan is jealous...she thinks that Setsuna-san is ogling over the surf instructor because she was acting all excited and talking to her instead of Konoka-san..."

Nodoka shot a look towards Haruna. "But...but Setsuna-san would never do something like that! She only has eyes for Konoka-chan, right?"

"Yes Nodoka-san..." replied Kazumi with a small laugh. "But Konoka-san is very particular when it comes to Setsuna-san...she probably feels threatened that this random girl is gonna swoop in and steal her away."

Everyone grew quiet in the room, all just staring at the screen. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity Makie lunged forward and grabbed both sides of the screen. "Fight for your woman Konoka-san! Show no mercy...long live KonoSetsu!"

The rest of the group facepalmed and Akira made a grab for the over dramatic gymnast. "Sometimes I wonder about you Maki-chan..."

Back out on the water, Setsuna had managed to finally make it to Konoka's side. She spun around and then sat up, trying to get the heiress's attention and ask her what was wrong. Before she had a chance to, Konoka lay back down on her board and began to paddle towards shore. Setsuna turned her head just in time to see a good sized wave make its' way in. She began to panic however as she saw that the size of it was a lot bigger than she had once calculated.

"Kono-chan watch out!" yelled Setsuna as the wave made its' way under her and came fast upon the heiress.

Konoka felt the wave catching up to her and decided that it was now or never. She knew that it was nearly impossible for most people to get up and stand on their first try, but she was determined to do it. With a deep breath and a hard push against the board, the heiress shot upwards and quickly got her feet in place.

"Set-chan, look, look!" shouted Konoka as she began to ride the wave. "I did it, I'm surfing! Lo-..."

The moment of happiness from getting up suddenly came to a crashing halt as Konoka lost balance and fell sideways. She landed with a loud splash into the water and was quickly swept up in the wave. The heiress was being tossed around under water, making her unsure of which direction was up and where she was in general. She also felt something smack her hard in the back, causing her to lose whatever oxygen she had. She started to panic, getting angry at herself at the same time for doing something so stupid. Just like clock-work, a pair of strong slender arms wrapped themselves around Konoka's waist and began to pull her upwards. Within seconds, Setsuna had managed to yank the heiress to the surface and held her above water until she managed to catch her breath. After a few minutes of coughing and rubbing at her eyes, Konoka managed to regain her composure and slowly began to tread water. Setsuna sighed deeply as she began to calm down, realizing that her princess was safe and virtually pain free. They slowly swam in a little ways towards shore where they could touch the bottom before Konoka quickly wrapped her arms around her protector.

"Set-chan I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking and got too excited to start. I didn't mean to put myself in danger like that!" lied Konoka as tears began to fill her eyes. "Please don't be upset with me!"

Setsuna just stood there and allowed for the hugging to continue. After a few moments, she raised her hands up and placed them gently on either side of the heiress's head, causing Konoka to remove her face from Setsuna's chest to look her in the eyes. Setsuna smiled warmly. "Kono-chan...I'm not upset with you alright? I promise...it was just an accident. I'm just glad that you're safe..."

The instructor quickly made her way over to the two girls; a slight panic on her features but for the most part she looked calm as she probably saw this all the time. "Are you girls all right? Do you need any help getting her to shore?"

Setsuna didn't even look up to acknowledge the instructor when she answered. "No, it's fine. I'm more than happy to assist Kono-chan back to the shore, if it's alright with her."

Konoka felt guilt punch her hard in the stomach. How could she ever think that Setsuna would be interested in some other girl? She grimaced as she thought about the danger she had put them both through all because she became jealous. Quickly she shoved the feeling away before sending another smile to her protector. "I'd like that Set-chan, thank you..."

Setsuna had then managed to bring the two of them back up to the safety of the shore. She grabbed a towel and a chair and set them up for the heiress to relax on and recover. The swordswoman was just about to tell the instructor that they were done for the day when Konoka interrupted her and insisted that Setsuna continue on with the lesson, as she was so excited when she found out that's what her surprise was. Setsuna hesitated for a few minutes but was practically thrown back in the water by Konoka. The heiress smiled as she sat back in her chair and watched as the girl she loved begin to have fun again and act like a regular person for once instead of an on edge bodyguard. What she wouldn't give to see her protector act more like this.

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The sun was beginning to slowly set along the horizon when Setsuna waved goodbye to the surfing instructor before heading up towards Konoka. She had a great day out on the water and even managed to get up a bunch of times and ride some waves nearly all the way in. It was a welcome change to her everyday activities, and she wished that there was a way for her to go surfing on a regular basis. The swordswoman was almost as attached to this new sport as flying or riding on Django. Maybe once they graduated from high school, she could set up another trip with Konoka and maybe even Asuna and Ayaka to go to Hawaii or Australia on a surfing trip. She stopped dead in her tracks as she rethought her last sentence. Another trip with Konoka...she hadn't even finished this one successfully and here she was assuming that the heiress would want to go on another with her. She hadn't even managed to tell the girl her feelings yet, and was still at a loss for what route she should take. She was running out of time; there were only two more nights and one more full day before they made their way back home to the regular hustle and flow of school life.

Setsuna took a deep breath and clenched her fists. If she was going to do this, it had to be now. She couldn't afford to take any more time thinking things over. The swordswoman knew that once they got back home, she would find any excuse she could to keep herself from coming clean with Konoka and then ultimately causing another fight between herself and Asuna. The sun was getting closer and closer to touching down on the water; it was the perfect night. Quickly and with a determined expression lighting up her face, Setsuna made her way over to Konoka.

"Set-chan what's up?" asked Konoka in confusion as her protector offered out her hand.

Setsuna just smiled at her as she took the heiress's soft hand into her own and pulled her up gently. "C-could you come with me for a bit? There's something I want to do..."

Konoka began to blush just as Setsuna turned her back on her and lead her back down to the water's edge. She picked up her surfboard in her free hand and continued on into the water. Once they were up to their waist, Setsuna stopped and offered for Konoka to get on so that she could swim them out a little farther. The heiress accepted and quickly hopped up. The ocean was now extremely calm and only small bumps of waves gently slapped at the sides of the surfboard. Once Setsuna got out far enough, she swiftly pulled herself up onto the board and lay down on her back. The swordswoman moved over slightly and signalled to Konoka to join her. The heiress continued to blush as she lay down resting her head next to her protectors. The two of them were now lying facing the sky, feet hanging off opposite ends of the surfboard. For a while, they just lay there secretly enjoying each other's company. Setsuna's head was racing as she was quickly trying to make a final decision on what she should do. She didn't want to mess up and was putting everything she had into coming up with her final decision. Her thoughts were interrupted however by the perfect voice coming from the girl next to her.

"Hey Set-chan..." began Konoka, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. "Thanks again for rescuing me...and I don't just mean today either...I mean for every time. I'm very thankful that you're my protector and that you've chosen to be by my side. I couldn't ever imagine having anyone better with me than you..."

Setsuna turned her head slightly to the opposite side facing away from Konoka and blushed. "I-it's no problem...I'm honoured to be given such an opportunity to protect someone as special as you K-Kono-chan..."

Konoka blushed. "I'm not that special Set-chan...I'm just like any other girl. I'm the one who should be honoured to have someone like you in my life..."

"Kono-chan, you are spe-..."

"Shhhh, look Set-chan, the sun is setting." interrupted Konoka as she moved her head closer to Setsuna's. "Look at how cool the water looks with its' reflection..."

Setsuna opened her eyes and took in the sight of what was sure to be the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. She was mesmerized by the way the orange and pinkish red colours seemed to dance around on the water's surface. It was so peaceful out here, drifting gently in the water with nothing but the faint sound of the ocean and the last few soft cries from the birds as they made their way back to the resting places for the night. The swordswoman smiled as she felt her whole body relax and her mind empty of all its' stressful thoughts. As she lay there, Setsuna could still smell the faint scent of Konoka's shampoo wafting through the air. It was in that moment that she knew what her decision should be. With a deep breath she clenched her fists, closed her eyes and turned her head to face Konoka.

"Kono-chan I love you and I really want to be with you!" as soon as the words left she slammed her mouth shut and waited for a response. When one didn't come right away, she began to panic and slowly started to open her eyes.

Laying there in front of her was Konoka, completely passed out in a deep sleep. The heiress had missed out on Setsuna's long time coming confession. The swordswoman took a deep breath in an attempt to restart her heart. For some odd reason, she felt relieved that Konoka hadn't heard what she had said. She even began to laugh quietly to herself as she continued to look at her sleeping charge.

_Guess it just wasn't the right time...oh well, there's still a little bit of time left...maybe I should bring her back to her room before she gets rudely awakened from turning over into the water..._

"...mmm...Set-chan..." mumbled Konoka in her sleep. Setsuna's eyes widened and her heart began to race as she heard the moans slip out of her unconscious companion. She was even more surprised as the words continued to fall out. "...hmmm...Setsuna, you're so dirty...let me just..."

Before Setsuna had anytime at all to react, Konoka's sleepy arms came at her with a mind of their own and wrapped themselves around the back of the swordswoman's head. In an instant, Konoka's lips were on Setsuna's and they were now interlocked in a weird upside down kiss. Setsuna's felt like her head was about to explode as her whole body burst into flames. More moans were coming out of Konoka, and just as quickly as it happened, the kiss ended. Konoka then laid the hand across Setsuna's mouth subconsciously.

"...Set-chan always protect's me...always be there by my side..." was the last sentence the heiress would say as she fell back, deep into her dream world.

Setsuna lay there completely up in arms. She had no idea what just happened and no idea on what she should do. The kiss was more than anything she could ever have wanted, but at the same time hearing Konoka say that she would always protect her and be by her side made her completely reconsider her earlier decision. As she gently sat up and scooped the heiress up into her arms before spreading out her wings and grabbing the board in her free hand, Setsuna couldn't help but feel like her unheard confession was fate telling her that that route just wasn't meant to be. If she was to stay by Konoka's side forever and always protect her, then she couldn't afford to do anything that would mess up their relationship and cause Konoka to hate her. After dropping of the board and flying back to Konoka's room, Setsuna quietly opened the door and made her way over to the heiress's bed, where she gently placed her down and covered her with blankets.

_Looks like it wasn't meant to be that way Kono-chan...Tomorrow I'll confess to you, but please don't hate me for wanting to stay friends...I have my reasons..._

She gently closed the door and made her way back to her room, where she quickly took a shower before heading to bed.

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"What the hell are the chances!" yelled Chisame as she made a grab for the screen. "Honestly, leave it to that air-brained heiress to fall asleep at a critical time like that! After Setsuna-san managed to man up and say it! GAH YOU KIDS PISS ME OFF!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Chiu-chan..." laughed Yuna as she tried her best to hold Chisame back from destroying Kazumi's laptop. "I didn't realize you cared that much..."

"Of course I care!" she yelled in response. "It's freakin painful to watch these two dumbnuts everyday in class, fawning all over each other but are completely oblivious to the others actions! Damn it, I just want them to get this over with already!"

Ku laughed and patted Chisame on the back. "Trust me, you aren't the only one..."

The rest of the girls all laughed as they watched Chisame try to take the life of the computer; all of them that is except for Kazumi herself. She had a very perceptive eye and knew that something wasn't right as soon as Setsuna picked up Konoka in her arms. She sighed, catching the attention of the rest of the group.

"What is it Kazumi-san?" asked Nodoka with a hint of worry to her voice.

Kazumi shook her head. "This isn't going to end well...Setsuna-san isn't going to give Konoka-san the answer she's looking for..."


	11. Well, Here Goes Everything

**Well kids, here it is...we've come a long way haven't we?**

**Anyway, this is that last chapter of G2GA and it's longer than any of the others thus far. I didn't want to separate anything, so I figured it best to just keep it all together.**

**I hope you've all enjoyed it, as I really liked writing it. I also hope I was able to do my favourite pairing justice. **

**See you at Power Play!**

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**Well, Here Goes Everything...**

Morning came earlier than expected as the same sun that Setsuna had watched set last night poked its' way in through her window and creeped up onto her face. Her eyes slowly began to open as she stretched out her whole body, yawning deeply. The swordswoman lifted herself out of bed and made her way to her bag to grab some shorts and a wife beater tank top to throw on for training before bending down to yank on her sneakers. Despite what had happened last night between her and the sound asleep Konoka, Setsuna had finally managed to get a good night's sleep. Her mind was made up now and she knew what the right choice was for her to make concerning the type of relationship she wanted to have with the heiress. Confessing but staying as friends was the best way she could think of in order to keep her friendship as well as still having the proper ability to protect her charge. It was going to hurt a little at first, but she knew that Konoka would eventually understand and grow to except her reasons for her choice; at least, that's what Setsuna forced herself into thinking.

Setsuna quietly opened her door and gently closed it behind her before making her way down to the beach. Normally, she would have knocked on Konoka and Asuna's door to get her warrior friend to join her for training, but today she decided to let her sleep in; as it was the last day of vacation and Asuna had volunteered to take care of the barriers last night since Setsuna was on her date. She also didn't want to accidently wake up Konoka, mostly because she wanted to wait for the right time to tell her everything. The swordswoman took a deep breath of fresh ocean air as she came to a stop at the water's edge. She started to stretch out after her quick jog from her room to make sure that she didn't pull anything while working out this morning. Instead of the usual kendo practice she did in the mornings, Setsuna had decided that a nice long run would be the best thing for her today. It was a good way to get some thinking done and also a great way to get in some last minute sightseeing of the island before leaving the next day. After a few more minutes of lunges, the swordswoman shook out her legs before taking off up the beach.

It was a beautiful morning that was sure to turn into a perfect day as the sun continued to rise out from the opposite side of the island. Setsuna continued on with her nicely paced run as she took it all in. Her thoughts started to drift back through everything that had happened within the last week, still unable to believe that most of them had happened. The whole thing with the Evabot completely threw her off, and she was sure that no one in her class was ever going to forget nearly being blasted out of existence. She laughed as she remembered that awkward night of the bonfire when she stumbled across Asuna and Ayaka getting it on in the open air baths while she was out trying to replace her barriers. Setsuna was more than happy that her best friend had finally gotten the girl that she wanted and that they had managed to get through a tough situation, making their friendship even stronger. Then she started to remember all of the fun times she had had with that one special person, Konoka. It seemed to the swordswoman that everything that had happened to her that week revolved around the heiress, causing her to laugh.

_It's almost like a messed up story or something._

Everything from the time she spent picking out bathing suits, to the poker game, the movie, her date, and especially that day they ran through the jungle on a scavenger hunt flashed through her mind. If Setsuna really thought about it, she could still taste the tequila in the very back of her mouth. She shook her head to rid herself of disgusting taste memory. Then a huge smile spread across her face as she remembered how Konoka wanted her to join the heiress at the waterfall for a picture of the two of them together. She remembered just how happy she felt as Konoka's arms wrapped around her sides and caused her to blush just as the shutter went off. The swordswoman hoped more than anything that her decision would still allow her to have these kinds of special moments with the chocolate haired girl, even though they wouldn't be together in the way she wanted. Setsuna sighed; this was the right choice and there was no way to back out of it now.

As Setsuna made her way closer to the end of the beach, she noticed that she was getting closer to that same spot where the picture had been taken. Somehow she must have been subconsciously drawn to the little piece of jungle outlet that connected the beautiful lagoon with the vast ocean. She was looking forward to catching another glimpse of this spot before leaving the next day, as it was one of her favourites along with the cliff that over looked the ocean. As she came closer, Setsuna's ears picked up some sort of noise coming from within the waterfall clearing. At first she thought that it was just the wind, but then when she listened closer she could hear the faint sound of someone's voice. She slowed her run down to a light and quiet walk as she decided to go and investigate who it was. It was still too early for most of her classmates to be up, so her curiosity was almost bursting out of her. As she quietly made her way closer, the swordswoman picked up the notes of a song being hummed. At first she didn't recognize it, but quickly figured it out when the person humming it came to the course. She had heard it many times since it was one of Konoka's favourite songs. She concentrated hard as the title started to come to her.

_That's "As Much As I Ever Could" by that Canadian musician...City and Colour I think...yeah that's it! Konoka got right into his stuff once we started getting better with English! Wait...that means..._

It slowly began to dawn on her that the voice that was now beginning to sing along with the lyrics was in fact Konoka's. She quickly slowed down to a near crawl as she began to make her way towards the lagoon. Setsuna wasn't sure what it was that was coming over her, but her body seemed to become light and felt as if it was being sucked slowly towards the singer as the melancholy tone of the song swam deep into her ears. She had never heard Konoka sing this well before, as she was usually too embarrassed to sing in front of her protector. She had no idea that this is what the heiress sounded like; the closest she'd ever heard was whenever Konoka had to recite healing spells. As the song slowly continued, Setsuna found herself crouching low behind some bushes and a tree. With a deep breath, the swordswoman slowly pushed aside some of the leaves so that she could get a look at what was going on without being seen. Instantly, her jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide with wonder. A deep red spread across her face and for the first time in days, a slight tingling sensation began to form in her nose.

Standing just a few feet away from the waterfall where they had taken their picture was a completely naked Konoka with her back turned to the place where Setsuna was hiding. She was currently singing her favourite song while running her delicate fingers through her long, perfect hair. Spray from the falls was gently bouncing from the water's surface and coming to a rest all over the heiress's body, making it look as if it was glistening when little rays of the rising sun broke through the jungle canopy and fell on her. Konoka leaned slightly towards the waterfall and cupped some water in her hands as she continued to sing before splashing it on her face. Setsuna gulped hard as she continued to keep her eyes glued on her princess, completely ignoring the fact of how this would look if anyone came across her. Now, Konoka had turned around and started to make her way back to the far side of the shore. The swordswoman quickly turned her head away, feeling a little guilty if she was to take advantage of the oblivious heiress. She allowed herself to peek only a little and her eye just barely caught a glimpse of Konoka's full form before turning her back completely to her once more. As the song she was singing was coming to an end, the heiress stood up straight and wrung out her hair before making a slow grab for her towel. Setsuna was still awestruck as the last bit of song left Konoka's soft lips.

"No I am not where I belong, so shine a light, guide me back home..." Konoka finished with a sigh as she wrapped her towel around her. She was hoping that a nice relaxing time at her special waterfall would help her get over her sadness of not yet succeeding with Setsuna. Unfortunately it didn't and the song just seemed to spill out her. She sat down on a nearby rock and looked up to the sky. "Why, why can't we just be together...I don't understand. I...I thought for sure that she loved me...I thought she did...maybe she's better off without me...no. I'll just have to tell her myself as soon as the time's right. Maybe tonight at the dance party..."

Setsuna had taken off before hearing the last few words Konoka had said. She felt as if unbreakable knife of ice had just been plunged deep into her chest. She had made the one girl she cared most about think that she didn't have those types of feelings for her anymore. The swordswoman cursed to herself in her head, she couldn't believe she had been so careless. This is why she just should have told Konoka at the beginning of the week that she did in fact care for her and that that was the reason why they couldn't be together. She loved her so much that she wanted to protect her, and she knew that she couldn't do that if she was distracted. Instead of heading back to her room, Setsuna made a b-line for her cliff as her head once again started to fight with her heart. Her heart was yelling at her, asking why she would ever want to cause Konoka more pain by not giving in to what they both wanted more than anything else in the world. It was also telling her that Asuna was right, and that allowing herself to properly love the heiress would only strengthen her connection to her and allow her to better protect her even better. Her rational thoughts within her head however were screaming at her to keep with her plan. She was going to stay friends and that was that; she wasn't good enough, no matter how much her heart told her otherwise.

With a final loud yell, Setsuna allowed her wings to burst out from her back before taking off into the air for the top of her cliff. She wasn't going to cause Konoka anymore pain today, and decided to keep herself away from her until tonight when she could properly tell her feelings. For the next few hours, the half demon swordswoman proceeded to train harder than she ever had before in order to keep her mind off of Konoka and what her reactions would be. She knew that soon, she would have to head back to her room and get ready for the dance party, and prepare for the outcome of her decision.

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Konoka had made her way back to her room just as Asuna was starting to stretch out. The warrior looked over to the towel clad version of her friend and sat up in her bed with a questioning look. It was still rather early in the morning and Asuna was at a loss as to why the heiress was already up and functioning on their last day here. Sensing her friend staring at her, Konoka continued into the room and made a grab for some clothes in her bag before heading into the washroom to change and brush her teeth. Once she was done, she came back out and flopped down on the bed next to her friend, who resumed an attempt at falling back to sleep.

"Asuna, you were up two seconds ago...if you fall back to sleep now you're just going to waste today." said Konoka as she snuggled up to her friend.

Asuna sighed. "Just a few more minutes...Ayaka isn't expecting me around her room for at least another two hours anyway. Speaking of being up, where the hell did you get your perky ass off to this morning?"

Konoka giggled as she continued to squeeze the warrior. "I thought that I'd just take a nice little bath out at the waterfall. It's the same one that's in the picture that Set-chan and I took on the scavenger hunt..." the happiness in her voice trailed off a little at the mere mention of her protector's name.

Asuna turned over and wrapped her arms around Konoka to give her a friendly comforting hug. "Listen Konoka, I know it's rough but you can't give up on Setsuna yet. She'll come to realise what's right and you'll be the first one she comes to...just trust me ok?"

"Okay..." sighed Konoka in a dejected tone. "I guess I'll take your word for it..."

Asuna gave Konoka one last hard squeeze before shooting up out of bed to brush her teeth. When she returned, she sent her friend a big smile. "So, what are your plans for the rest of the day? I know that we have the dance party tonight but that's hours away yet..."

Konoka shrugged. "I'm not really sure...I kind of wanted to spend some time with Set-chan, but right now I think it might be best to leave her think. If what you say is true, than me being around her won't make it easy for her to decide to come out and confess. Maybe I'll see what Nodoka and the gang are up too. I feel like we haven't really hung out so much this week."

"That sounds like a good plan.' replied Asuna as she tugged a new shirt over her head. "I think today I'll see if Ayaka wants to go around taking pictures with everyone so she has some good memories of the class before we graduate..."

Konoka stopped and stared at her friend and long time roommate. A wide smile followed by playful bits of laughter came over her. "How sentimental of you Asuna...geeze, is this the famed Kagurazaka charm I've heard so much about?"

Asuna stuck out her tongue as she threw a flip flop at the shrieking and cowering form of Konoka. "Whatever Konoka, just admit that you're happy for me already alright?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm happy for you..." sighed Konoka.

"And once that bird brain of a buddy of mine confesses to you, I'll be bouncing off the walls in happiness for you too!" added Asuna as she yanked her friend up from the bed. "Now come on, let's go grab some breakfast before I gotta meet up with Ayaka. I'm sure the rest of the library team will be there by now too."

The two friends made their way out the door to head up to the meal hall; Konoka trying very hard to resist the urge to knock on Setsuna's door and invite her along. She sighed and reminded herself that her protector was probably off training anyway, even if she did want to spend the day with her. Asuna and Konoka had soon reached the meal hall and made their way over to the various items prepared for breakfast. The heiress wasn't feeling particularly all that hungry, so she just grabbed some fruit and a bowl of cereal while Asuna loaded up her plate with eggs, rice, various assortments of breakfast meats, fruit and what looked like a pitcher full of juice. The heiress laughed and rolled her eyes at the sight of her friend being barely visible over her plate; she wondered how it was possible for the warrior to stay so in shape with the way she ate. They were just about to sit down when Konoka heard her name being called.

"Oi, Konoka-san!" called Yuna from a few tables down. "You and Asuna-san should come join us!"

"Yeah, ok sounds good!" replied Konoka as she gently grabbed Asuna's arm in an attempt to guide her to the new table.

What Konoka didn't know was that the group of girls she was making her way over to, was the same group who secretly spied in on her and Setsuna's date the previous day. They had witnessed Setsuna finally confess to Konoka only to see it go unheard by the suddenly sleeping heiress. The group had also figured out that because something happened in those few seconds afterwards, that the swordswoman's mind suddenly changed and she was now going in the opposite direction of her original confession. Kazumi, Haruna, Makie, and Yuna had decided at that moment to make it their top priority to sort everything out. They were also to be helped by Nodoka, Yue, Ku, Akira and an over determined Chisame who vowed that she would get these two "dumbnuts" together if it killed her. Their goal this morning was to find out what Konoka's plans were for the day, and then help her prepare for the dance party as well as work out a final plan to change Setsuna's mind. That was to be completed by Team Konohottie: Haruna, Nodoka, Yue, and Chisame. Team Ballbuster, which was to be made up of Kazumi, Makie, Yuna, Akira, and Ku would be in charge of trying to track down the protector, try to talk some sense into her, and work with the first team's plan by forcing Setsuna into it. Makie had cleverly come up with the team names, much to Chisame's distaste. They all smiled at the two newcomers as they sat down at their table.

"I can't believe it's our last day out here already..." sighed Konoka as she made a grab for a strawberry from her plate. "It's going to suck getting back into school mode. Plus, we'll be graduating soon..."

Akira sighed. "Yeah, I know what you mean...I'm gonna miss our class being together."

There was a murmur of agreement circulating around the table before Haruna slammed her hand down. "Hey come on, we aren't dead yet we'll still see each other around! Besides, we shouldn't be worrying about this stuff now...it's our last day to have some fun! Konoka, what are you doing today?"

"Well, originally I was going to see if Set-chan wanted to hang out..." she began with a disheartened tone. The girls around the table all fidgeted awkwardly but did so completely unnoticed by the heiress or the warrior who was too busy shovelling food into her mouth. "But, I was thinking that maybe today I'd see what everyone else is up to..."

The two teams cheered silently in their heads as they felt their plan start to fall into place. Now Nodoka was the one to speak up. "Um...I was wondering if maybe, you wanted to hang out with the library team and Chisame-chan?"

"I'd love to!" smiled Konoka before she started into her cereal.

"Great then it's settled!" cheered Haruna with a fist pump. "Let's hurry up and finish eating so that we can get this show on the road!"

Half an hour later, the girls had finished their breakfasts and began to head out. Asuna had decided that since she would be early to Ayaka's room, that she would bring her breakfast in bed. The rest of the girls laughed as they figured it was a way for the warrior to gain some last minute brownie points. As soon as the group stepped outside, plan KonoSetsu kicked into high gear. In one quick swoop, Chisame and Haruna grabbed Konoka under both arms and Team Konohottie was off to Chisame's room. The heiress had no idea what was going on, put decided to not put up a fight and just go along with it. Meanwhile Team Ballbuster got out Kazumi's spy drones and their pactio cards so that they could communicate with each other as they split up. They were determined to find Setsuna, no matter where she was.

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A few hours ago, Konoka was gently thrown down into a chair back in Chisame's room where team Konohottie had brought her. Since that time, the small group of girls had informed the heiress that they were going to help her in whatever way they could to win Setsuna over. They didn't tell her however, about the swordswoman's botched attempt at a confession or the fact that she changed her mind and was going to tell the heiress something different. They just told her that they were tired of seeing the two of them apart and that since it was their last year together as a class, the two of them should be together. Konoka was more than happy to have the help of her friends and was looking forward to whatever it was they had in store for her.

It was mid afternoon now and the girls had just finished picking out the appropriate outfit for Konoka to wear that night. Thanks to Chisame's experience as a net idol, the heiress was going to be decked out in an outfit that would make even the straightest of girls think twice about their sexuality. There was no way Setsuna would be able to ignore such a sexy looking Konoka. Now the girls were beginning to discuss the various plans and scenarios for the evening, with the devious mind of Haruna leading the way.

"Alright so, we've gone over everything from accidental bump ins to suggestive groping while dancing..." said Haruna as she scratched at her chin. "If Setsuna-san doesn't crumble to pieces in your hands after that, then I have no idea what else we could do..."

Konoka sighed. "You'd be surprised how resistant Set-chan can make herself...I mean, I've been teasing her for years now and I still haven't gotten so much as a kiss out of her aside from our pactio...I mean, do you remember the poker game?"

"Yeah, even Yuna-san suffered a good amount of blood lose on that one..." added Yue.

"I heard she got a good talking to from Maki-chan after that one..." whispered Nodoka. "I didn't even realize that those two had been fooling around together..."

"...Our whole class is one big Yuri fest..." sighed Chisame under her breath. Then an idea popped into her head. "Hold on a second...we might actually be able to use that to our advantage..."

Haruna's interest peeked and she raised one of her eyebrows manically. "What sort of evil thing are you getting at Chiu-chan?"

"Yeah...you kind of sound scary there Chisame-chan..." added Konoka as she sat down on the bed.

Chisame crossed the room with an evil smirk. "Well...Setsuna-san loves you right? What do you think would happen if maybe say... you did something to make her jealous? As much as the dummy likes to think she's disciplined, there's no way anyone who's madly in love with someone could stand to see their loved one in the arms of someone else..."

Haruna laughed evilly as she completely caught on to what Chisame was getting at. "You're an evil one Chiu-chan...but I like what you're saying. Let's make that Operation Doomsday...how exactly did you want to go about it?"

All the girls in the room gathered around the net idol as she waved them in towards her. They listened intently as she began to explain to them the whole operation in detail. At first Konoka was unsure if this was such a good idea, but decided that at this point there was nothing else she could do if the other plans didn't work. The heiress was beginning to get excited as Chisame was about to finish explaining the plan, but was suddenly shocked when she heard her last words.

"...It'll only work if we use her..."

Meanwhile outside on the beach, Team Ballbuster had regrouped and were now discussing what their next move should be. It had been hours since they separated from the other half of their group to search for Setsuna, and they were still unable to track her down. They knew that their chances of trying to find the swordswoman on a good day were slim; but today she probably had intended on being alone since her botched confession and was now the proverbial needle in a haystack. Even Kazumi's drones had come up with nothing, causing the reporter to curse out loud at her misfortune. She hated not finding what she wanted as was now ticked off beyond belief. Ku had spent most of the time tracking what she thought was Setsuna's trail through the higher parts of the jungle, but ended up in an empty clearing with the trail gone cold. She had assumed that the half demon must have taken flight at this point and probably realized that she was being searched for. Even Akira had no luck searching for her along the coastline using her artefact. The group was at a complete loss and they were quickly running out of time.

"Guys, it's almost time for us to start getting ready for the dance party..." began Makie. "What are we gonna do? We can't just show up back at Chiu-san's room without doing our part..."

Akira sighed and scratched her head in irritation. "Well, there's not a whole lot we can do Maki-chan...when Setsuna-san doesn't want to be found, she doesn't want to be found..."

"This may sound kinda obvious..." started Ku. "...but after we left the resort...did anyone bother to check her room lately?"

All the girls looked at the martial arts master and face palmed. Kazumi walked up to her, placing both hands on either of her shoulders. "Ku-san...why didn't you say anything earlier?"

Ku shrugged innocently. "I didn't think about it until just now...it didn't seem like Setsuna-san would do something so simple..."

"She's got a point Kazumi-san..." added Akira.

"Well great!" yelled Yuna as she threw her arms up into the air. "We've wasted all this time running around the island and Setsuna-san is probably laughing it up back in her room...gah!"

"Well played Setsuna-chan...well played" laughed Makie.

The group quickly made their way back to the boardwalk and up to the resort's villas. As they approached Setsuna's room they slowed down to a sneaky crawl. Ku took the lead and slowly made her way to the door where she placed her hand on the handle and signalled for the others to be quiet. Carefully, she began to turn it and gently pushed the door inwards. She stuck her head in and let out a deep sigh as her eyes fell on an empty room. Her heart sank until her ears picked up some sort of noise. To her surprise there was the sound of rushing water coming from the bathroom, signalling that the swordswoman was currently in the shower. Quickly she shut the door and got the girls to back up a little; all were confused by her actions.

"Ku what the hell are we doing?" asked Kazumi as she was forced backwards. "Is Setsuna-san in there or not?"

"She's in the shower." replied Ku. "There's nothing we can do now...she'll probably be in there until the party..."

The rest of the group groaned as they realized they had failed their mission. All of them, except for Makie. "Wait, you say she's in the shower?"

"Yes, that's what I heard from the bathroom when I opened the door." sighed Ku.

"Well, why don't we at least set something up so that she at least wears what we want her to wear for Konoka-chan?" asked Makie. "Let's go through her bag, take all of her clothes, and leave her with only one choice?"

They all stared at her. Suddenly Yuna pumped her fist into the air. "I like it! Plus I think I have something in mind that Setsuna-san can wear. Give me two seconds to run back to my room so I can grab it. We're about the same size anyway. It's about time we spiff that kid up a bit!"

"You're not planning on something girly are you?" asked Ku. "Cause that won't work...she'll end up locking herself in here..."

"Course not!" laughed Yuna. "Geeze, I have a masculine side sometimes too you know! Just wait here, or go grab her bag..."

With that, Yuna took off for her room for the clothes they would be forcing onto Setsuna. Quietly, the girls made their way back into Setsuna's room and began to rummage around her bag, taking everything except for her bras and boxers.

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Finally, we have returned to a saddened and frustrated raven haired swordswoman, who has collapsed against the shower wall with ice cold water streaming down her face...

Setsuna sat on the floor of the shower and watched as the water that had beaded on the ends of her hair, slowly fall and swirl around before falling down into the dark drain. She had always known that this was the right choice for the both of them, and no matter how much it hurt them now, in the end it would be worth it to see her princess safe and happy with a normal and easier life. With her taking her rightful place as the heiress's protector and servant, Setsuna was ensuring the girl she loved with a life. This was the only thing she could offer her...it was all she could afford to give.

After what seemed like hours, the swordswoman sombrely reached up for the taps and slowly turned the water off. She picked herself up off the floor and opened the shower door, grasping for a towel as she stepped out onto the mat. Setsuna quickly dried herself off before she grabbed a brush and a hair dryer. With a quick glance at the small clock set up at the corner of the sink, she saw that she had just enough time to brush her teeth and get dressed. She made a grab for her deodorant and threw it on before getting her toothbrush followed by some mouth wash. Then she threw her towel over the holding rack before making her way out to her room to get dressed. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, the swordswoman sensed that something was off. Quickly, she made her way over to her bag and cursed as she saw that almost all of her clothes were missing. She started to panic until she turned around and noticed that there was something folded up and lying on her bed. She lunged over to the mysterious gift and noticed that it was in fact, a set of clothes that someone must have laid out for her. She sighed as she expected that it was probably Asuna who picked these out, thinking that this is what she should wear when she confessed her love for Konoka. She rubbed at her temple a little as she thought about the possibility of the warrior being upset when she went through all this trouble just to have her tell the heiress that "Hey I love you but we can only be friends...".

_Well...it's not like I have anything else to wear so..._

Setsuna pulled on her favourite pair of boy cut boxers and sports bra before making her way back over to the clothes. She pulled on the nice pair of faded black skinny jeans and did up the white belt before picking up the shirt. It was a clean white button up dress shirt with just enough buttons on it to leave the bottom of the shirt open at her belly button and another opening at the top to reveal the top most part of her chest. Just as she thought she was done, Setsuna noticed that there was still something left on her bed. The swordswoman picked up a dark red skinny tie and threw it around her before quickly tying it up, allowing it to sit loosely around neck. When she was finished, she rolled up her sleeves to her elbows before taking her elastic off her wrist and putting her hair back up to its' usual spot on the side of her head. She was done; she was finally ready to head to the party and wait for the right time to take Konoka aside and tell her everything. With a deep breath she quickly threw on the bravest face she could and made her way out the door and over to the outdoor bar for the last night party.

The music was blasting and every girl in class 6-A had some sort of drink in their hands. The cheerleaders were busy challenging each other to rounds of shots while some of the others cheered on with each messed up face they made. Others were dancing and a select few made themselves scarce amongst the darker corners of the bar. Even Negi was having a good time dancing around with Nodoka and Yue while trying to avoid drinks being poured down his throat by Haruna. Everyone was having a perfect time and enjoying themselves when Konoka came back from the bar with drinks for her, Asuna and Ayaka.

"Hot damn Konoka, I have to admit that you're lookin' pretty good tonight!" said Asuna with a wink.

"She looks more than just good Asuna..." laughed Ayaka as she hit her girlfriend in the arm playfully. "If Setsuna-san doesn't want to jump her after seeing her like this then I'm considering that girl to be A-sexual..."

Konoka giggled. "Well, I wasn't even sure if I was going to bring this on the trip but once my library girls saw it they said I had to wear it..."

Of course, Konoka was lying to her friend and class rep. The extremely short black mini skirt, small black strappy heels and red triangle cut top that tied all the way up the back were all Chisame's that she brought with her in case she needed to use them for a site update. She was sworn to secrecy about their group's plans for what was in store for Setsuna. Asuna was after all, the swordswoman's best friend and Team Konohottie didn't want her to interfere and tip Setsuna off. Konoka was becoming more and more anxious as her head went on a swivel to try and see if she could spot her protector anywhere. The party had started at least a half an hour ago and the heiress was beginning to worry that all of this effort was for nothing because Setsuna skipped out. Noticing that her friend was about to have a worry induced aneurism, Asuna moved closer and put her arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Hey, calm down Konoka..." Asuna said calmly into the heiress's ear. "She'll be here alright...you know she wouldn't up and leave..."

"Yeah...yeah you're right..." replied Konoka nervously. She sent a smile towards her friend. "I guess I'm just being sil-..."

The heiress's voice stopped dead as she suddenly caught sight of her protector coming up the stairs from outside and make her way into the bar. Asuna and Ayaka both turned their attention to where Konoka was staring and the warrior's arm suddenly tensed up as she took in the sight of her best friend. Konoka watched as Setsuna made her way through the bar, stopping randomly to talk to some of her classmates who asked where she had been or where she got her cool clothes from. The heiress began to heat up as she gave her protector the once over; instantly thanking Yuna in her head for donating her clothes for a good cause. Both team's who had been involved in the plans all froze at almost the exact same time and watched from the corners of their eyes as the gap between the targets grew smaller. Setsuna had finally for the first glanced up towards Konoka's direction and instantly turned away with a dark blush forming over her features. She cursed in her head, asking why her princess had to look so good on a night where she had to do something so difficult.

As Setsuna got closer, Konoka grabbed the nearest shot glass filled with whatever mysterious substance and threw it down her throat. With a final wink towards Asuna, the heiress closed the gap between them. "Hey Set-chan, where have you been? I've been so worried that you weren't going to come...and I haven't seen you all day today..." she said with a sexy little pout.

_You haven't seen me, but I've seen you..._ thought Setsuna.

"Yeah...sorry Kono-chan. I was out training and flying all day today and then it took me a little bit to shower and get ready..." said Setsuna in an apologetic tone.

Konoka sent her protector a smile as she snuggled up to her arm. "It's ok Set-chan...I'm just happy that you're here now! Let's go grab a drink yeah?"

Setsuna nodded with a smile and allowed herself to be lead over to the table that Asuna and Ayaka were leaning against. Once they got there, Konoka left quickly to grab the drinks, leaving Setsuna standing there next to Asuna, staring off after her. She sighed before turning her back to face forwards, slumping a little as she did. Asuna raised her arm and gently patted her best friend on the back to try and comfort her.

"So I guess I already know what you're planning on telling Konoka later then?" she asked with a small yet friendly smile.

Setsuna nodded. "I've thought about for so long and I know that it's not the best choice...but it is the right one. This is just what I have to do to ensure Kono-chan is safe and happy...it's my duty."

Asuna sighed but continued to show her support. "Well, if that's what you gotta do, then that's what you gotta do. At least you're finally gonna tell her your feelings..."

_And, you never really know what could happen in the future..._

Setsuna laughed a little as she saw the look of Asuna thinking. "I'm glad that I've got your support..." she paused for a moment to check and see if Konoka was returning. When she saw that she was safe, she continued. "Could I ask you for a small favour?"

Asuna nodded instantly. "Of course, what are best buds for?"

"Well, it's just that...I know when I tell Konoka that I want to stay as just friends with her...she's most likely going to be upset at first...and of course I can't blame her for that..." she began. "I know that she probably won't want to see me for a while...so could you possibly...be there for her...for me?"

Asuna's eyes began to water as she saw the sadness creep over her friends face. In that instant she wanted to yell at her to change her mind because she couldn't take her being like this anymore. However, she knew that it wasn't her choice to make and that Setsuna was hurting as it was and didn't need it rubbed in her face that she was wrong. The warrior quickly threw away her thoughts and put on a brave and supporting face for her best friend.

"Of course I will..." she said with a smile. "I'll keep her company until it's time for you to come back into her life again, ok?"

"Thank you Asuna-chan...it means a lot to me." smiled Setsuna weakly.

The swordswoman instantly slapped on a forced happy face just as Konoka made her way back to the table with a tray full of shots in hand. She rested them down on the table and picked one up, handing it to her protector with a devious smile. At first Setsuna was hesitant, remembering what had happened the last time Konoka had given her alcohol earlier that week, but decided that as long as she stuck to only having a few, she would be fine. She raised her shot to salute the three girls around her before tipping it back into her mouth and gulping it down. Luckily, this time around, it wasn't the dreaded tequila. After a few more drinks and a bit of joking around later. Konoka grabbed Setsuna's arm and began to pull her away from the table.

"K-Kono-chan, where are we going?" asked the swordswoman shakily.

Konoka turned her head a little and smiled. "I wanna go dance with you silly Set-chan!"

Setsuna quickly looked back and gave a pleading look for Asuna to at least come join them, as the swordswoman wasn't much of a dancer. Asuna laughed and shook her head a little as she offered a hand out to Ayaka. Instantly the blonde grabbed a hold of it and followed the warrior out to the dance floor. The music was pounding out the base as the girls got out on the dance floor with most of their classmates. In an instant, Team Konohottie and Team Ballbuster crashed onto the dance floor, causing everyone to get tightly packed together. This was plan A, having Konoka get Setsuna out on the dance floor where they would be forced tight on each other, allowing for some very up close and intimate time together. The heiress smiled wickedly as she felt her classmates moving in on them. She quickly positioned herself so that she had one of Setsuna's legs between her own before reaching up and placing her forearms around her protector's neck. Setsuna froze and felt like she was going to die as the blood seemed to recede from all parts of her body before gathering up in a pool of heat in her groin area. She looked away from Konoka and took some calming breaths while counting the number of logs used to form the ceiling.

Konoka smirked as she lightly brushed the back of Setsuna's neck with her fingers. She felt a small shutter from her protector before she spoke. "Sorry Set-chan...looks like everyone's in the mood to dance..."

Setsuna gulped and reminded herself that her mind was made up. She then looked down and sent a brave smile to the heiress. "It's no problem Kono-chan...everyone's just excited to be out here."

Konoka turned her head away and pouted slightly as she continued to dance along to the pumping music while pressed up tight to the swordswoman. It seemed that plan A had not so much as failed, but proved to be somewhat unsuccessful. She had gotten some sort of reaction from her protector, but didn't get what she was looking for. She would just have to try harder with the next few plans and hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't have to resort to Operation Doomsday.

After dancing for what seemed like an extended period of time, filled with as much hot grinding and touching on her guardian as she could do without making it seem as desperate as she felt, the two groups of girls made their way back to their original table. Setsuna left this time to track down some more drinks for the others as well a bottle of water for herself. As soon the swordswoman left, Kazumi and Ku were on Konoka faster than you could blink.

"So did you get anything out of her?" asked Kazumi in a hushed voice.

Konoka shook her head. "Nope not yet...I told you, Set-chan is a tough one to crack..."

"It's cool Konoka-san..." said Ku. "Yuna-san and Makie-san came up with a last minute idea so you can try and avoid the last option..."

"...and what exactly is that?" asked Konoka in a slightly worried tone.

"BODY SHOTS!" came a yell from Yuna from across the room at the bar. The whole place erupted in cheers as they watched Yuna grab a bottle of lemon flavoured vodka while Makie hopped up onto the bar.

"Oh gods..." breathed Konoka as she realized what Kazumi and Ku had intended for her to do. "You expect Set-chan to do that to me?"

"Actually..." piped up Haruna who had snuck up from behind her. "We were kinda thinkin that you do it to her..."

Konoka's eyes grew wide as the image of Setsuna laying out on a bar with her shirt slightly torn open revealing a small pool of vodka resting on her tight stomach flashed into her vision. She almost had a nosebleed as the image stuck itself there. Without another thought the heiress triumphantly made her way over to the crowd to grab her protector. She found Setsuna standing next to Mana and Kaede, watching and laughing as Yuna poured a little too much of the liquid onto Makie, causing it to run off her side and shiver slightly as she felt the cold liquid run over her. She lightly punched Yuna in the arm as said girl lowered herself down to lick up the shot before coming up and giving the pink haired gymnast a quick, deep kiss. The girls all cheered and called out at once as a small blush spread across Makie's face.

"Alright who's the next set of victims?" yelled Yuna excitedly as she sent a signalling wink to Chisame, Haruna, and Ku. "How about you Sakurazaki-san?"

Setsuna's eyes grew wide before she quickly declined, shaking her hands slowly in front of her. Of course, she was ignored and the class cheered as Ku, Chisame, and Haruna wrapped their arms around the swordswoman and hauled her up onto the bar. They let her fall with a gentle thud on her back, and Chisame sent her a somewhat menacing look, effectively turning her off of any thoughts of escape. Setsuna gulped as she knew what would be coming next.

"Alright and, now that we got Sakurazaki-san up her...may as well get Konoka-san up her to take the shot, right guys?" called out Yuna.

"Right!" rang out across the large semi circle of girls who were now intently watching.

Konoka gulped and took a deep breath before putting on a determined yet seductive face as she made her way over to the bar where Setsuna was laying, resting up slightly on her forearms. The heiress came right up to her and winked as she reached down to fully unbutton her protector's shirt. Before she had a chance to get caught up in staring at Setsuna's sexy muscular stomach, Konoka reached for the bottle from Yuna and took it into her hand. She gently placed her free hand on the swordswoman's stomach and forced her downwards. Setsuna was doing everything within her power to keep herself together. This was the most sexualized thing that her charge had ever attempted on her, and despite enjoying every moment of it, she knew that she couldn't give in. It was getting harder and harder to resist though, considering she was now feeling Konoka's fingers trail slowly down her stomach before lifting off completely to make way for the sudden splash of cold liquid.

Now was the moment everyone had been waiting for. From off to the side, Asuna and Ayaka were both looking on with a mix of happiness and worry as Konoka's mouth drew closer and closer to Setsuna's stomach. There was so much tension in the room that it was almost unbearable. It even seemed like the music had faded into nothingness as the entire class looked on. Satomi even called up Evangeline and put her on video calling so that she, Chachamaru and even Sayo could watch. Konoka was mere centimetres away now, and decided to finally touchdown tongue first onto her protector's skin. Setsuna bit down on her tongue to keep in the moan that wanted to escape. Their class whooped and made cat calls as they watched the heiress gently close her lips around the small bit of liquid before lingering a few seconds longer. She came back up to cheers and a slap on the back from Haruna. Setsuna on the other hand waited a few seconds in order to calm herself down and refocus before shooting up off the bar with a forced smile and a scratch to the back of her head. She quickly redid her shirt up before joining Asuna and Yuna for some high fives and pats on the shoulder.

_Are you friggin kidding me right now? Even after all of that, she's acting like it's just another thing? I mean yea sure she's got that dead giveaway of a blush on her, but she didn't even give in and kiss me or anything? That's it...It's Doomsday time..._

Team Konohottie and Team Ballbuster all looked on in shock as Konoka made her way over to Setsuna. They had a feeling that it would resort to this, but none of them had expected to see the look of anger in the heiress's eyes. In fact, they all became scared as the gap between the chocolate haired girl and her target came to a quick close. Without so much as a word, Konoka brushed by Setsuna, who looked extremely confused and a little terrified, before grabbing onto the back of Asuna's head and pulling her in for a long, deep kiss.

The room went into shock as all eyes were glued onto the scene that was unfolding in front of them. Ayaka was completely frozen in place as she watched one of her good friends basically making out with her girlfriend. Asuna had no idea what was going on and was trying everything she could to gently pry her friend off of her. After a few seconds of fighting the warrior for domination, Konoka had decided to pull back. Asuna just stood there, dead still, and stared at her friend. The heiress then turned her attention to Setsuna and waited for her protector to grab her or say something to Asuna about allowing the girl she loved to make out with her. All that came from Setsuna was a blank stare. Something inside of Konoka snapped at that point and she flew past her protector and made her way to the door. Setsuna quickly snapped out of it and called after her.

"No, you know what Sakurazaki-san...Fuck you...seriously..." was the last thing the heiress turned to say to the swordswoman with tears in her eyes before running out the door.

It was completely silent in the bar as everyone stared at the door. There was nothing anyone could say even if they wanted to. None of them had ever witnessed Konoka get that angry before, and didn't even so much as play fight with Setsuna before. Finally Setsuna spoke up, causing everyone to turn their attention on her.

"D-did...did Kono-chan...just call me Sakurazaki-san?" she said with a gulp.

"I...I think she did..." replied Asuna without taking her gaze away from the door.

Setsuna groaned. "I'm so screwed now...aren't I? I've just ruined everything...I knew this was why I should have just sta-..."

WHAM!

Out of nowhere Makie swooped in and gave the unsuspecting swordswoman a good smack upside her head. Setsuna quickly refocused her vision and stared back at her pink haired classmate in surprise. "What the hell are you still doing here Setsuna-san...go after her!"

Setsuna nodded without another word and quickly sprinted out the door as Makie shouted random threats at her if she didn't hurry her ass up. It was silent again as the girls realized that the music had actually stopped and all the action was now going to take place outside.

"What do we do now?" asked Nodoka nervously.

Asuna shot away from the group and made a lunge for a set of speakers and a docking station from behind the bar. She reached down into her pocket and pulled out her iPod before making her way to the door. "We help Setsuna out...sure she may have messed up but right now she needs us..."

"Let's move out!" shouted Yuna

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Once Konoka had burst through the door to the bar she made a b-line for the beach. As soon as she hit the sand, the heiress tore off the borrowed heels and threw them off to the side before continuing her way down to the water's edge. The heiress picked up the first rock she came across and flung it into the water with as much force that she could possibly put into it. She then began to stomp around trying to find more in order to relive the boiling over anger that was coursing through her body. She quickly gave up when she couldn't find any instantly and sat down in a huff in the dry sand, just out of reach from the water.

"Stupid Setsuna-san and her not caring that I kissed her best friend!" mumbled Konoka to herself. "What the hell is up with that? I got pissed yesterday just thinking that she was flirting with that surf instructor...maybe she doesn't feel the same way about me like I do for her...oh well, doesn't matter now..."

The heiress dug her toes in the sand angrily as she continued to fume over Setsuna's lack of response to her. Not only did she feel like her protector didn't love her, but she also had just embarrassed herself in front of her whole class. She also couldn't imagine how pissed off both Asuna and Ayaka would be at her for her desperate actions. She laughed to herself angrily as the old saying of "love makes you do crazy things" popped into her mind. Suddenly she heard footsteps making their way towards her. Without even turning around, the heiress knew who it was and plopped her face down into her folded arms that were resting on her knees. A few seconds later, Setsuna came to a stop a few feet behind the pissed off princess. For a few moments, it was deathly silent.

"K-Konoka Ojou-sama?..." began the swordswoman in a shaky voice. She waited for a response but knew that she wouldn't get one. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I...I just wanted to say that I'm sorry...sorry that I didn't catch on to what you had intended and that I've caused you so much pain. I-I really didn't mean for anything like this to happen...I never wanted to be the one to cause you any harm...there's just been so much going on in my head for the past week that I've lost track of what it truly means to be your guardian...again, I'd like to send my sincerest apologies to you for causing you so much trouble. If you'd like, I'll go back into the shadows so you don't have to see me anymore..."

Setsuna had turned around and was about to head back up to her room in defeat when she felt a hand grab at the leg of her pants. The swordswoman's heart stopped as she heard the shaky, tear filled voice of her charge reach her ears. "No...p-please don't go..."

Setsuna paused for a moment before turning around and slowly sitting down next to her princess. The heiress instantly rested her head on her protector's arm and wrapped her arms around it before she burst out into tears. The swordswoman just sat there in silence as she let Konoka continue to cry into her arm, knowing that sooner or later this was going to happen. She brought her other hand up to gently stroke her princess's hair as the last bit of tears made their way out of her. After a few lingering sniffles, the heiress brought her face out of Setsuna's arm and just came to rest her head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry for getting s-so angry at you Set-chan..." sniffled Konoka. "I just..I just.."

Setsuna brought her thumb up to Konoka's face and brushed away a lingering tear that was slowly sliding down her cheek. "I know...I've known for a few days now..."

Konoka smiled a little as she heard her protector confirm that she knew her feelings. "I just thought that maybe...since we were on this trip together that I could finally get you to confess to me...Asuna sorta told me before we left because she was concerned for you..."

"Yeah...I should have figured that's what made you step up your attempts..." replied Setsuna in a whisper.

Meanwhile from back up on the boardwalk, Asuna and the others were busy hooking up the speakers and the iPod while trying to stay unnoticed by the two girls on the beach. Most of the class were running around rampantly in an attempt to get a good spot to watch from. All of them were hoping that this plan of Asuna's would work in helping getting the two at least back on speaking terms, if not together. Finally, with one quick scroll through her song list, Asuna found what she was looking for and hit play. She cranked up the volume and dove next to Ayaka to watch her plan unfold.

Setsuna's ears perked up as she heard the sound of the familiar song float its' way down from the bar to where they sat on the beach. She smiled to herself as she knew that only Asuna could have pulled this off. She thanked her inside her head as she slowly got up. Konoka looked up in surprise and confusion, but was greeted with an extended hand being offered to her.

"Um...K-Kono-chan..." began Setsuna with a blush coming to her cheeks. "Could...could I possibly have the honour of dancing with you?"

Konoka reached up with a smile and her own blush forming before she felt her protector's fingers wrap around her hand. "It would be my honour...if you allow me to..."

Setsuna helped the heiress from the ground by swooping her up into her arms before gently placing her back down onto her feet. Konoka quickly wrapped her arms around her protector's neck and felt her blush deepen as Setsuna wrapped her arms around her waist. They stayed silent for a moment as the music continued on with its' slow and sad melody.

"I...I heard you singing this song earlier today while I was out training..." started Setsuna as she stared out to the ocean. "I sorta...stopped and watched you at the waterfall..."

Konoka snuggled into Setsuna's chest as she tried to hide her embarrassment. "You...you heard me? I'm sorry, I didn't think anyone was around and I just had that song stuck in my head ever since our date..."

Setsuna let out a small laugh. "Don't be sorry Kono-chan...you sing very well...I was feeling happy up until you stopped and I..."

Konoka looked up quickly and took in the sight of pain building up in her protector's eyes. "You...overheard me...didn't you?" She watched as Setsuna nodded her head. "I'm so sorry Set-chan! I was just getting frustrated that nothing I was doing was working out...I didn't mean to say that you were better off without me...I just...really want to be with you..."

Setsuna stopped them from dancing and gently moved back so that she could get a better look at her princess. It was now or never, and she had to get everything out there. With a deep breath, she took Konoka's hands into her own. "Kono-chan...there's something that I...that I've been meaning to tell you. It's taken me all week to work it out, but I think I've made the right choice." She paused for another deep breath and to take in a smile from the heiress. "I...I love you Kono-chan, ever since we first met when we were little to the time we reunited after the Kyoto trip...all the way up to now. I don't think anyone could ever...ever love somebody as much as I love you...which is why..."

Konoka's eyes began to fill a little with tears of happiness. "You know I love you too Set-chan...exactly the same way..."

"I know..." replied Setsuna as she reached for Konoka's cheek to cup her hand around. She smiled as she watched the heiress nuzzle into it. "Which is what makes this next part...h-hard to say." She gulped as she felt her princess's eyes grow wide and search for hers. "It's because I love you this much that I...I...need to stay as just your friend...I won't be able to properly protect you if I distract myself with this happiness...I can't afford to lose you in the event I make a mistake...besides I'm just a servant and half demon...you need someone better who can give you things that I can't..."

Konoka stood there frozen. She had only just begun to feel like she was walking on clouds when Setsuna said that she loved her, and now she felt herself crash downwards as her worst fears were realized. She quickly gripped onto the swordswoman's hands. "Set-chan, you know that I don't care about you being a half demon and you know that I don't see you as some servant! You're my equal...hell I even consider you above me! There's nothing or no one on this planet who I will ever want to be with more than you! If you're worried about what dad will think concerning your duties I'm sure he'd underst-..."

Konoka was interrupted by a sudden and very unexpected kiss from Setsuna. She quickly made to grab for the back of her protector's head, bet felt her hands being restrained where they were by Setsuna's. Just as quickly as it happened, the kiss ended and Setsuna stared deep into Konoka's eyes. "This is just how it has to be Kono-chan...how it has to be for your safety..."

With that, Setsuna dropped her princess's hands gently before turning on a dime and running of. Her wings burst out of her back and she was soon in the sky, trying to get far enough away where Konoka couldn't see her face messing itself up with agony. The half demon knew that the best place for her now was back in her room, alone. When she lost sight of the heiress, she did a slight turn and made her way straight for her room. Konoka on the other hand was left on the beach; stalk still and staring off to where her Set-chan had taken flight.

"What...that...that can't be it right?" asked Makie after watching Setsuna take off. "She's coming back for Konoka-chan, right?"

Ayaka sighed from beside her and made to pat the gymnast on her head. "I...I don't think so Maki-chan..."

Suddenly Makie burst into tears causing all the girls around her to stare. "But...It's Konoka-chan and Setsuna-san! KonoSetsu...they're supposed to be together! Gods damn it they're friggin meant for each other..."

As she continued to sob, many of the other girls joined in with cries of their own. They had all hoped that their two friends would end up with each other and were completely devastated when they watched Setsuna fly away. Out of all of them, Asuna was probably hurting the worst as she knew that both of her closest and best friends were now in pain, despite having all the opportunity in the world to be together. She felt Ayaka pull her in for a hug, but barely noticed it because she felt as if her body was numb. For a few moments she closed her eyes and cried a little as Ayaka held her. She opened her eyes in order to clear away a few tears when she suddenly noticed it. Quickly she shot up out of Ayaka's arms and stood up, leaning over the boardwalk rail. Everyone's attention was drawn to her before they too looked out towards where Konoka was. Asuna began cheering.

"Screw that friend shit!" yelled Konoka as she made her way towards the villa's. "We are meant to be together...Set-chan is mine and I'm hers...she's about to realize that!"

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Setsuna burst through her door and slammed it, too upset to notice that it hadn't shut all the way. She flopped down onto her stomach and buried her face deep into her blankets and clung to them with a death grip. The pain quickly swept over her, and she knew that no matter how much she prepared for it or how much she told herself that it was right, the swordswoman still felt like her world was ending. She wasn't going to be able to see her princess for a long time, if ever again. Konoka had looked pretty upset when she told her they couldn't be together and then flew off. She wasn't even planning on the whole flying bit but it just sort of happened. After crying for a few more minutes, Setsuna picked herself up off the bed and dried her eyes with the back of her arm. She then got up and started to pack away her things, cursing once again when she realized her clothes were still missing. She threw her bag down on the ground and made her way back to sit on the bed in a huff. Setsuna would just have to wait until they got back to school in order to get her things back. She sighed as she remembered that they really did have to go back to school...how was she going to deal? The swordswoman guessed that she would go back to staying silent and observing from afar, being sure not to get in anyone's way.

Suddenly, Setsuna heard her door slowly creak open. Her eyes shot upwards and her heart started to feel like it was going to burst out of her chest as she saw that Konoka was standing there in the doorway. The heiress quickly stepped in and closed the door behind her, locking it as she did. She then turned her attention back to the girl in front of her, who was now staring at her in an odd confusion. Konoka slowly made her way over to her protector, coming to a stop before sitting down next to her on the bed. Setsuna was about to say something but was stopped by the heiress's finger falling gently on her lips.

"It's my turn to talk Set-chan..." she began. She watched as Setsuna gulped and nodded silently. "I understand that you think all of these bad things will happen if we ended up together...that you aren't worthy of being with me...or that you're even betraying the code of the bodyguard...I just want you to know that I think that's all bullshit. You wanna be with me as much as I wanna be with you, and there's nothing in the world that would ever come between us. You're the perfect protector whether we're together or not, so why not take that chance...I love you...Setsuna...and nothing... evil or other wise...will ever change that..."

Before Setsuna could answer, she was pulled into a deep kiss. At first she thought about fighting it, but then decided to throw all her stupid feelings of worry and wrong decisions out the window. The swordswoman felt the heiress's tongue frantically searching for entry to her own mouth. Much to Konoka's surprise, Setsuna let her in, and the two engaged in the most passionate kiss either one had ever experienced, including the ones they had seen in movies. Eventually, the kiss broke and both girls separated to catch their breaths.

"See..." Konoka giggled slightly as he breathing began to even out. "We just had an intense make out session and no one died or got attacked by anything!"

Setsuna laughed a little and scratched the back of her head like she always did. "Yeah...I guess you're right Kono-chan..."

A devious look spread over the heiress's features as she leaned in and slowly began to play with the swordswoman's tie. "You know...maybe it's time to drop that honorific from my name..." She leaned in until she was mere centimetres away from her reddening protector. "I mean...its' a lot to try and say when you're moaning and gasping for air...isn't it?"

"Kono...Konoka..." started Setsuna as she felt her body heat up.

The small gap between them was gone in an instant as Konoka's lips met with Setsuna's in a slow, deep kiss. The heiress then began to lean backwards to lay down on the bed, wrapping the swordswoman's tie around her hand a few times to slowly pull her down with her. As Konoka's head came to a rest on the pillow beneath her, she moaned a little as he felt her protector's teeth pull at her bottom lip before letting it go. The heiress opened her eyes and felt a fire rage inside her as she took in the sight of the look of want in Setsuna's eyes. The swordswoman smirked and gave Konoka a wink before lowering her head to start kissing at her neck. The heiress's eyes slammed shut as she felt a shiver of pleasure run up her body at the swordswoman's aggressive touch. She made a grab for the back of Setsuna's head with one hand, trying to pull her closer to her. At the same time, her other hand got to work on unbuttoning Setsuna's shirt and loosening up her tie. Sensing what her princess wanted from her, Setsuna sat up on her knees quickly and removed her shirt and tie. She was about to pull out her side pony, when she felt Konoka's hand gently pull her arm away.

"No...leave it in..." she said as she looked away with embarrassment. "I...I like it like that..."

Setsuna smiled and nodded as Konoka began to sit up. She made to pull off her shirt, but found that Setsuna was already on it. The swordswoman untied the back and loosened it before moving to pull it off. She stopped though as she quickly realised that this shirt Konoka was wearing required her to not wear a bra. She gulped and blushed as it occurred to her that she was actually about to see her princess naked for the first time in a private and intimate setting. Konoka giggled as she watched the blush form on her protector's face.

_Even in a moment like this, she still finds a way to look so damn cute..._

Konoka reached up to Setsuna's hands and helped her pull away the shirt. She then quickly leaned over and pulled the swordswoman's sports bra over her head. Both girls stopped moving as they each took in the sight of each other. Setsuna tried her hardest to not just stare at Konoka's chest, but was finding it to be extremely difficult to keep her eyes off of them. Her body started to shiver as she felt the heiress graze at her stomach and sides with her hands. Not being able to take it anymore, Setsuna leaned back in to start kissing Konoka again, causing her to gently fall back onto the pillow.

The kissing picked up from its slow pace from before to a faster, more aggressive one. Konoka had grabbed onto the back of Setsuna's head to pull her in with one hand while the other slipped down her protector's back. She moaned as she felt Setsuna's lips leave hers and make slowly make their way down her jaw line and neck. She gasped and arched her back slightly as Setsuna began to run her slender, rough fingers over her now hardened nipple, rolling it under her palm. At the same time, the swordswoman quickly made her way down to the other nipple, flicking her tongue over it to match the movement of her fingers. She smirked to herself as she felt her princess's body slightly tense under her.

Konoka was slowly being driven crazy with each pass of her protector's tongue. She bit her lip and forced her fingers into whatever hair she could without removing Setsuna's hair tie. The heiress took a sharp gasp as the swordswoman's teeth gently brushed over her pert nipple. That was it; she couldn't stand it anymore. She grabbed Setsuna's face and pulled her back up to her own. Setsuna was surprised, and slightly nervous as she felt Konoka's tongue once again join her own in a fight for desperate dominance. Suddenly, the heiress broke out of the kiss and made her way over to her protector's ear. Setsuna moaned as Konoka kissed at it and lightly bit down.

"Set-Setsuna...I want..." she said in low and seductive whisper.

"Are...are you sure it's ok?" Setsuna asked as she bit down on her lip and grabbed a handful of blanket when Konoka stuck her tongue in her ear.

Konoka slowly reached down, being sure to run her fingers down the swordswoman's chest and stomach before coming to a rest on her belt. The heiress brought her lips back to meet Setsuna's as she started to playfully unbuckle her belt and undo the button on her jeans before unzipping them. Setsuna shuttered as she felt Konoka's hands slip down the inside of her jeans at her hips and slowly push the pants down. The swordswoman quickly decided to help and sat up to remove them before blushing as an idea came to her. She came back down and started to slowly make her way down the heiress's body, trailing kisses all the way just before stopping at the top of her skirt. Setsuna playfully ran her tongue over Konoka's bellybutton, earning her some moans as she wrapped her slender fingers under the waist of the skirt. She slowly pulled it down and off of her princess's perfect legs. Now, the swordswoman was left to briefly stare at the pair of dark panties that were the only barrier between her and her goal. With a deep breath, she made her way down.

Konoka slammed her eyes shut and covered her mouth with one hand to keep in her loud yelp of pleasure that threatened to escape. Her other hand was almost digging into the back of Setsuna's head. The swordswoman had moved her kisses down from the top of Konoka's panties directly to the bottom over a now dampened spot. Setsuna had dreamt about this sort of situation enough times over the years to practically be an unpractised master of foreplay. Her heart felt like it was going to choke her out as she flicked her tongue around the surface of the panties, just hard enough to make brief, teasing contact with Konoka's extremely sensitive opening underneath. She must have been doing a good job, because she could feel the heiress arch her hips up towards her, practically begging for more. Slowly, Setsuna wrapped her fingers under the red and now soaked panties before gently tugging them down. She made sure to take in every moment of her princess's movements as she pulled off the panties completely. As they fell to the floor beside the bed, the swordswoman's hands ran down the insides of Konoka's thighs before effectively spreading her legs apart. Setsuna brought her head down between them and began her work.

Loud moans finally escaped from the heiress as Setsuna's tongue made its' way past Konoka's opening and right onto her clit. She arched her back and pulled her protector's head closer in an attempt to get as much of her as possible into her. Konoka's vision was going hazy as she closed her eyes and bit her lip, feeling every movement, no matter how slight it may be, of the swordswoman's tongue. Her whole body burst into flames as Setsuna started to lick and flick faster and faster. Konoka began to slightly rock her hips in time with the movements, feeling like there was no way she feel any hotter than she did now. Just as she felt like she couldn't take it anymore, Setsuna stopped and quickly made her way back up Konoka's body. Before the heiress had a chance to question it, the swordswoman made a move to kiss at her neck hard as her hand slipped down Konoka's pelvic bone and gently inserted two rough, long fingers inside of her. Konoka was wrong; it was completely possible for her to feel ten times hotter than she had thought. She quickly dug her nails into her protector's back and felt her muscles and shoulder blades tighten and move in time with the in and out of the swordswoman's hand between her legs.

Setsuna was busy lightly biting and then licking at Konoka's neck, revelling in the sheer pleasure she was getting from merely being able to touch her princess in this way. She had dreamt about it for so long and cursed at herself for ever thinking that she could ever force herself away from a relationship like this with Konoka. She felt like she had been kidding herself this whole time, knowing that she had just been acting cowardly and finding whatever excuse she could to keep herself away. She smirked and pushed all those thoughts out of her mind, for right now her only focus was on the writhing chocolate haired girl underneath of her.

_I'm more than happy to give you what you want now Konoka...hold on tight, it's about to get rough..._

Setsuna twisted her fingers ever so slightly inside of Konoka as she made a final search for the spot she was looking for. Once she found that magic spot, she quickened her pace and massaged the tips of her fingers all around it. Konoka moaned loudly in the swordswoman's ear, causing her to gain more confidence in what she was doing and allowing for her to put even more into it. She felt Konoka attempt to lift her legs slightly in an attempt to wrap themselves around her protector, but fall instantly as any strength she had was being drained away to her midsection. The end was coming up quickly, and Setsuna was doing her best to ensure that she was giving everything that her princess wanted.

Konoka gasped and breathed hard into Setsuna's ear. "S-Se-Setsuna...huhhhhhhh hmmmmm...Setsunaaaaaa!"

The swordswoman blushed hard as she felt her ear fill with a broken up attempt at her name. She brought her head up and started to kiss at Konoka's gasping lips. "Konoka.."

Instantly Konoka's whole body shuttered and felt as if it was locking up. With a loud yell of a moan, she arched up her back one last time before falling back down on the bed. For a moment Setsuna just lay there on top of Konoka, staring longingly into her eyes. It wasn't until the heiress slowly reached up to kiss her gently that the swordswoman finally broke down. As Konoka continued to give her a soft kiss, Setsuna's eyes began to water and a tear fell to land on the heiress's cheek. Konoka stopped and gently pushed away to look into Setsuna's tear filled eyes. She smiled and wrapped her arms around her beloved guardian.

"Set-chan...what's wrong?" she asked with a slight giggle over how cute her protector looked.

Setsuna sighed happily and cleared away her eyes before answering. "I...I'm just so happy that you came after me...all this time I thought the best thing for the both of us was to be apart...but now..."

Konoka sighed and made to kiss Setsuna on her forehead. "Now we're together and that's all that matters, alright? Whatever happens from here on out, we face it together..."

"Alright...Konoka..." smiled Setsuna as she scratched the back of her head.

Suddenly, the heiress felt a second wind coming on causing her to roll the swordswoman onto her back. Setsuna laughed as she saw the devious excitement spread across her princess's face.

"What?...did you think that after all this time, you got to be the only to do that stuff?" asked Konoka seductively.

Setsuna gulped as she felt Konoka reach down to her boxers. "N-no...of course I didn't..."

"Besides..." started Konoka as she slowly pulled the boxers down. "We gotta do this as much as possible in case it's required to form permanent pactios..."

"P-p-permanent pactios?" breathed out Setsuna just as Konoka's lips came back down on hers.

It was going to be a long night for the newly formed couple; filled with the satisfying noises of years and years of pent up feelings and mutual longing to be loved.

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"So...what do you think went down last night?" asked Haruna as she sat down at the long table for the last breakfast on the island. "Do you think Konoka-chan was able to pull it off?"

Asuna shrugged as she felt the eyes of everyone at the table fall onto her. "Well, just in case she went to our room last night I decided to stay at Ayaka's place...so I have no idea if everything worked out or not..."

"I'm kinda worried though..." sighed Negi as he stirred some milk into his tea. "I haven't caught sight of either of them since last night... what if Setsuna-san flew off and Konoka-san took off into the jungle in pain..."

Yue rolled her eyes slightly. "I don't think that happened Negi-kun...in a way, it may be a good sign that we haven't seen them yet..."

"What do you mean?" asked Ku, confussed.

"Never mind..." replied Chisame as she face palmed.

Suddenly the doors to the meal hall flew open causing everyone in the room to turn their heads in unison. Standing there in the frame was a very tired looking swordswoman and yawning healing mage. The room fell silent as everyone looked on waiting to see if they would speak first. Just then, Ayaka stood up when she noticed that the two were in fact, holding hands with their fingers intertwined.

"Well it's a about damn time!" cheered the class rep as she and Asuna made a run to hug their blushing friends.

The whole room burst out into cheers and calls of congratulations. Finally, after all these years they had their two love struck classmates get together. Now, both teams who had tried to help out the day before as well as Mana and Kaede made their way over to the already friendly glomping going on at the door.

"Yeah! I knew it, I always knew it would happen!" shouted Makie with a fist pump. "Congrats KonoSetsu!"

Setsuna blushed and looked over to her girlfriend, who smiled at her before responding to the gymnast. "Th-thanks Makie-san..."

Yuna leaned over to Haruna and Asuna and started to whisper playfully. "So how do you think it works with them? I mean...Setsuna-san is totally the power top right?"

Asuna and Haruna both laughed. "Oh, you mean like how Maki-chan is with you?"

The whole group, including Setsuna and Konoka heard the last bit and burst out laughing as Yuna's face went dark red. Makie came over and patted her friend on the head before giving her a kiss on the cheek. It was a day to be remembered as everyone felt the happiness spread through the room. There were more jokes at Setsuna, Asuna, and Yuna's expense as breakfast continued on. Soon everyone had finished eating and slowly made their ways back to their rooms to pack up, as the plane would be leaving in about two hours. Setsuna grabbed Konoka's hand and quickly lead her outside. They had packed up quickly before coming to breakfast and now the swordswoman wanted to get a last few hours of vacation in with her girlfriend.

"Set-chan...where are we going?" asked Konoka with a happy giggle as Setsuna continued to lead her to the boardwalk.

"I just thought it'd be nice to watch the ocean for a little while from our cliff. It would be a nice way to end the perfect vacation, don't you think?" she said as she scooped up the heiress into her arms, wings instantly coming out. She felt Konoka wrap her arms around her neck as she made her way to the cliff.

When they touched down on the ground, Setsuna playfully pulled Konoka down onto her lap and wrapped her arms around her before snuggling her own face into the heiress's shoulder. Konoka blushed as she watched the odd yet cute behaviour coming from her protector and girlfriend. She leaned in and pressed her forehead to Setsuna's and gazed happily into her eyes.

"I'm really happy that Ayaka-chan set up this trip for us...we really did need it..." she said as she lightly kissed the swordswoman.

Setsuna smiled through the kiss, pulling her princess in closer. "I know what you mean Konoka...sometimes, it's just good to get away..."

**The End!**


End file.
